Harry Potter and the Temple of Witchcraft
by Christina-Potter-09
Summary: No Epilogue-blended with Merlin of BBC & the Arthurian Legend.Harry Potter & Hermione Granger are Aurors for the Ministry of Magic,strange incidents lead to the return of two Mythical Figures of the Old & the realization that the war is far from over...
1. Alarm

Hello and welcome! oh my Gods, this is my 89th story! how 6 years have passed by wow! And all thanks to you, sweet readers and friends.

this is a brand new fanfiction, my first ever _crossover_ (even if it's been categorized here for the HP fans) You **DON'T HAVE TO BE A FAN** of the Merlin series, I'm just borrowing my otp from there to add it here and manipulate it as I like to make things interesting since it will be all blended with the Original HP plot, the Legends of King Arthur and my own mix of fantasy ;)

it will be Multi-Chapter (hopefully around 15 or more chapters)

it will be Rated **M** later on (stop grinning I can see you all)

and the kinds are:** Romance, Friendship, Adventure, Angst, Fantasy, Hurt/Comfort, Legend-related, FLuff,Smutt, Crossover**

with no more words:

Enjoy...

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_Harry Potter and the Temple of Witchcraft_

_Chapter One – Alarm _

'Potter, Granger, in the office, right now.' The man called out as he rushed outside the double doors that led to the Auror quarters as Harry Potter and Hermione Granger rushed inside.

'On our way,' Hermione said almost under her breath as she gave a last fix at her Auror uniform before she could face the Head officer, Emilia Anderson. Harry was by her side, his uniform still a bit ruffled after he slept in it. The last thing they needed was Anderson ranting over their appearance.

More people rushed in and out of doors across the corridor as the entire place was in alarm after weeks of anticipation for the climax. The best and youngest high ranked Aurors entered the room and Anderson faced both Harry and Hermione with a scowl.

'You're late, there is the file and the portkey, in Glastonbury, reinforcements will be there shortly but first you investigate and estimate the level of danger.' The strict woman said and both Harry and Hermione knew better than utter a word in her presence, she had already made it perfectly clear that if she could, she would have kicked them out of the service a long time ago.

Harry and Hermione gripped the portkey and a moment later they felt it activating itself and the pull behind the navel signaled their transportation miles away from London.

The swirl of colour and images reduced and soon they realized they were reaching the small town and the trees in its outskirts. They let go of the portkey –an inkpot- and soon they were landing softly and soundlessly on the forest floor, so much better than the way they had thudded on the ground in 1994…

'What a bitch she _still_ is.' Harry mattered the moment they were on safe ground and they both checked their surroundings, magical vibes were hitting their senses in waves.

'Well, consider ourselves lucky she still fears the Wizengamot and appointed us for the mission…' Hermione whispered and Harry frowned and shook his head.

'She knows _we're_ the best, she likes it or not,' Harry retorted and Hermione sighed and looked at her best friend.

'Oh Harry… she doesn't care about our abilities, she's scared of the people and what they will say…' Hermione replied, her voice coated with sadness. They had both expected the Ministry would be different in a new era if they ever survived the war to see it.

The war had ended four years ago and the community was still struggling to return to normal after the ashes the War left behind it. People had tried hard to forget, to forgive and not to make the same mistakes and that had led to fear and stereotypes. The community had ended up voting for a new ministry staff that instead of making liberating steps towards balance and equality, held strong all the prejudices and campaign of fear of not having history repeating itself.

The community adored its heroes, Harry, Hermione, Ron and people like Neville and Luna had been seen in the public eye as the savors but the community's decisions on matters of government, education, equality and blood status hadn't followed the way its savors had tried to win the war for.

Harry and Hermione had finished Hogwarts as Harry still had wished to become an Auror and Hermione wished to finish her education. Neville too had returned but Ron and Luna had refused, Luna had taken over her father's magazine and Ron, after long months of struggling with Fred's death, had decided to help George with the joke shop and now another one was working in Hogsmeade and soon one more would be in Salem of the United States.

Harry and Hermione had decided to become Aurors almost as if naturally, their last year at Hogwarts had found them transforming into what they were today: young, independent Aurors that could turn into deadly machines as to save each other and follow their duty to the community.

Hermione had been the hardest to decide what to do but after her year at Hogwarts with herself and Harry as Head Girl and Boy and her break up with Ron following months of depression and struggle with the youngest Weasley son, she had decided that after what she had been through in the war time, she would never be able to stay still on an office chair ever again so the field seemed as the best idea. Harry had been more than glad with the news, having his friend safe in the final year and then in the academy before they could return to action against crime, only this time fully prepared and trained, always together like they did during the Horcrux Hunt and the years before it in their school years. He hadn't been sure how it would be without his friend there, the one with the answers, the action plans and the patience…. She was like a constant as he many times joked while he was the canon.

Having the support of her parents who she brought back in the summer of 1998 had been a bonus as Edward and Jane Granger had been more than supportive after their initial shock for what she had done to save them during the war.

'Whatever the reason, she couldn't avoid sending us… we're the best in this bloody thing.' Harry replied and Hermione sighed and nodded, so true on the use of the adjective _bloody_ for right now they had no idea what they were up against and she had a hunch it would end up being as bloody as hell….

For the past weeks high levels of magic had been detected around Britain and the ministry had tried to locate and track the vibes but nothing was specific on why it was happening. It was as if the soil itself was thudding with power and magical energy but nothing seemed out of the ordinary in all the times crews from the ministry had been sent to investigate. Spurts of magic happened almost daily for the past week and always Harry and Hermione were sent to check but they found nothing out of the ordinary with all their instruments of investigation and spells of revelation. Places like Glastonbury, Cornwall, the Hogwarts Lake, Hogsmeade, Somerset and Caerleon were only some of the "hotspots" as the head office called them but they had to finish this soon because the Prophet had noticed and the community was once more uneasy as the ministry couldn't give clear answers through none of its departments as to why this "anomaly of the land" was emitting strong magical vibes.

That afternoon another eruption had been recorded and this one was way strongest so far. Harry and Hermione had been on edge for days, both while they stayed in the flat they shared and their endless hours in the office, now they could only hope for this to reach a result. Hermione took out of her robes' pocket the small sneakscope Harry had given her when they graduated the Auror Academy two years ago.

Using the probity probe would be useless since it went crazy in so strong vibes. The sneakscope seemed to show east and they both looked at the direction, up the hill and close to the remains of the church of St. Michael's, they both looked at each other, from where they stood they couldn't see someone up on the bare hill but they had to trust the sneakscope for it was finally working after all the times they checked the place and it remained silent.

'Come on, lets go and be done with it.' Harry whispered as they took their wands in their hands, camouflaged their selves with a spell and started for the hill.

With each step, they were almost pushed back by the intensity of the waves of magic in the air and soon they could hear a dull noise coming from the very ground of the hill. It was tiring to climb up all the way but they did, the remaining of the church almost hiding the sun from the angle they were moving up to it while the sun set slowly in the English horizon.

'We achieved it, my Lady, now stop it or I shall!' A man's voice was heard and both Harry and Hermione moved automatically closer to each other and raised their wands.

'Hold your tongue and let me try!' another voice, this time female was heard and the two Gryffindors looked at each other and rushed faster up the hill, they could see no one so far.

'Oh for the love for what is holy… you have been trying for weeks and-'

'Someone is here, shut your lips or I shall do things I will regret.' The voices argued but before both Harry and Hermione could grasp what was going on, a series of things happened at once.

The moment they reached the top they saw the standing part of the church but behind it as if a veil ripped with a knife, the _atmosphere _ itself had an opening and on the ground before it, two tall figures were standing, a man with fair hair and blue eyes, dressed in black pants and shirt and a woman in a black robe, long black hair and crystal green eyes that turned aflame the moment she saw the two young Aurors. She raised her hand quickly and both Harry and Hermione were taken aback by her attack, she held no wand and no magical object, her eyes turned aflame and both Harry and Hermione were shoved back by a wave of energy that knocked them flat on the ground, their wands flying from their hands with the impact on the ground.

'Accio Wand!' Both Harry and Hermione called out and stood up from the heap they created on the dry grass, aching all over they tried to recover quickly as the woman was moving towards them, the blond man by her side.

'Who are you? What is this place? What is the year? Speak!' the woman commanded them both and Harry and Hermione raised their wands towards her as she kept her hand ready to strike once more, Hermione didn't wait once more and erected a protective wall of magic before her and Harry to protect them from the witch. The blond man seemed calmer as he glanced at the reaped veil behind them that seemed as a gate to another place, it almost reminded Harry of the veil Sirius had disappeared into. Who were these people? How they had created such a gate and from where they had showed up? It felt as if the waves of power came off both of them and the reaped opening. Harry was certain wands wouldn't help much if the madwoman attacked again, however she glanced warily at them in his and Hermione's hands while she seemed to be examining the spell Hermione had created, the same she used to stop Ron years ago.

'Under the laws enforced by the ministry of magic you are requested to… lower your hand and remain calm, whatever you try through magic or not will be used against you in the Wizengamot.' Hermione finally said with authority, not sure what to think of the two people before her, the man looked in his mid twenties, not much older than herself and Harry and so the woman did, with her long black hair in waves and curls, she looked savage and fair at the same time, royal and medieval, wise and fierce while the man by her side looked like the opposite of hers with blond hair and slightly tanned skin, he looked brave and arrogant, lost and determined. Next to each other they looked like day and night. What kind of criminals look like this?

The couple in black looked at each other for a moment in wonder, as if they hadn't understood Hermione's perfectly clear words of surrender.

'Lets calm down here, Morgana… they're obviously younger than us and since they're wearing these weird clothes… we probably made it to reach the place. Let's all calm down, we talked about it, right?' the blond man said lightly to the woman by him and before she could protest as she clearly wished to do, he stepped forward from behind her and looked at Harry and Hermione. The woman called Morgana seemed tensed and kept her hand at the ready while Harry and Hermione held their wands tighter.

'Who are you?' the blond man asked this time and Harry saw Hermione lowering her wand slightly at the mention of the woman's name but he kept his own steady, he didn't care what these two were plotting or what they had talked about, he didn't want to end up dead after surviving a war, the woman had used wandless magic and he didn't wish to taste how powerful she obviously was.

'We're doing the questions here,' Harry answered aggressively and the man before him, after eyeing him for a moment more, finally nodded and raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

'Alright, alright… lets see then, ask and we'll answer so we can be done with this…' the man said and the woman called Morgana scowled at him and moved by his side, ignoring the raised wands before her.

'Arthur, are you completely stupid? We're in charge, this is our place and-'

'You brought us here and we need somehow to get on with this-'

'_Fate _brought us here and you know very well that of all places it chose the right one and this-'

'Then this is the right thing to do, 'Gana for these two are right before us after the weeks we've been trying to get back here, so stop and let me-'

'Excuse me!' Hermione called out and to Harry's terror, she lowered her wand and the protective charm vanished before them, she was looking at them with wide eyes. Both Morgana and the man who had just been called Arthur stopped their quarrel and looked at her.

'You're Morgana…' Hermione said first, looking at the raven haired beauty, 'And you're Arthur….' She confirmed and the couple nodded, Hermione looked at Harry with wide eyes.

'What?' he said, trying to keep an eye on the foe and at Hermione who was urging him with her eyes to realize something.

'This is _Glastonbury_, Harry… the vibes have been coming from all places related to the Arthurian Legend… and there is a huge reaping in the air…' Hermione finally said in a whisper and Harry looked at her as if she had just gotten a second head.

'No, Hermione, come on…' Harry said in disbelief as he looked back at the black clothed people who were looking at her with searching eyes.

'What is Glastonbury?' the woman asked and Hermione looked back at her, now awe entering the brunette's eyes.

'I am Hermione Granger and this is Harry Potter, we're working for the Ministry of Magic, now please do tell us who you are.' Hermione finally said, keeping her wand at the ready but not raising it towards them. Harry felt almost stupid since he seemed as the only one still on guard. The blond man before them spoke first as the light of the setting sun had turned orange upon them.

'I am Arthur Pendragon, son of Uther, this is my queen, Morgana Pendragon, daughter of Gorlois, healer and sorceress.' The man said and both Harry and Hermione stared at the couple before them. Harry wasn't sure why but he lowered his wand finally.

'Ok this is…' He was ready to say something to Hermione but Morgana moved closer and he got on guard again.

'What is the year?' the sorceress asked and Hermione seemed more willing to answer.

'It's 2002,' she replied and both Harry and Hermione saw the shock in the eyes of the lady before them and the man before her. 'You asked what Glastonbury is… it's how the place here is called, many believed for years it's where Avalon once originally stood.' Hermione added to answer the previous question of the raven haired woman and this time Morgana looked back at Arthur with eyes full of mirth and victory while he rolled his eyes.

'Fine! You did it, you brought us right on spot…' he said exasperated and Harry wondered what he was talking about as the woman before him was obviously gloating. She turned and looked back at them once again.

'What are the things you're holding?' she asked and both Aurors looked at their wands.

'Wands, magical instruments… you really are the ones of the Legend?' Hermione replied and questioned at the same time, this was beyond surreal and for some reason it seemed right, who else could create such vibes of pure magical energy if not one of the greatest sorceresses in history and her king?

'It is true, young lady Hermione, I am Morgana, and this is King Arthur, sole Heir of Uther and King of the Britons. The true question is why we found you while we returned to fulfill the prophesy.' Morgana replied and both Harry and Hermione looked at each other.

'What prophesy?' Harry asked, not sure he would like the answer to this.

'The prophesy about the King returning when Britain would need him the most, there is a threat coming for the land and it will be greater than all threats ever since our era… that's why I created the rip in the veil of the worlds, we returned from Avalon to save you once more.' Morgana replied and the fair King nodded his head by her side. Both Harry and Hermione looked at each other with wide eyes.

'Holy Cricket…' Hermione whispered and Harry couldn't agree more with his best friend.

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OK this was the first chapter, a small introduction and filler, we'll learn more in the next chapie, what is going on, how things are with HHR and the Weasleys, Ginny and Ron and the rest... yep you saw that right, Harry and Hermione share a flat of their own but we'll know more about it in the next chapies... so we have Sorceress Morgana Le Fay and Arthur Pendragon here... hmmmm what you think will happen?

this is the first chapter and I feel like back in 2006 when i published my very first (i always feel like that) so please review and let me know if you would like to see more of this, come on! reviews are love and love is needed when a new story starts :D

btw: the century fic has not been forgotten I swear, the update is on its way, hopefully within days

thanks for reading, please review

Christina Potter 09


	2. Lines

OK here we are, thank you so much for the warm welcome :) glad people find interesting my idea of this crossover, many things will be different on the Merlin facts and how ArMor have worked so far but no worries, if you haven't watched the show you won't know a difference and if you do i think you will like the changes ;)

Enjoy...

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Chapter 2 – Lines

'OK, this is insane…' Harry exclaimed, he had finally lowered his wand as Arthur and Morgana moved towards the rip in the air and Morgana raised her hands, both Harry and Hermione felt too numb to attempt stop her, how to stop her anyway? She started chanting ancient words, words that made Hermione widen her eyes even if she was a few feet away from her. Morgana's eyes turned amber again and the rip closed, the area went silent and the vibes of magic finally stopped as if someone had switched them off.

'How… how will you go back?' Hermione asked by Harry's side as Morgana returned close to Arthur and she looked at Hermione with firm eyes.

'We won't, the prophesy Nimueh made spoke clearly, when the King will be needed again, he'll return to save Britain. We hoped by changing slightly some facts, to stay and live the life we lost back in our era.' Morgana said boldly and Hermione and Harry looked at her with wide eyes.

Harry was certain his best friend wanted to learn more, he had a small idea of the Arthurian legend and the different versions but as far as he remembered, Morgana was never Arthur's queen, she was supposed to be his evil sister at best, the mother of his son who also murdered him but right now, both Arthur Pendragon and Morgana, his queen, as he had called her, looked more like a married couple than enemies and siblings drown in incest. Harry was sure Hermione was dying to learn the actual history from the history makers themselves.

'OK, we need a plan here… if they're to stay…' Hermione started and Harry looked at her, she had been the one with the brain around for the past years, but the thing she was suggesting… Arthur freaking Pendragon and Morgana Le Fay had just closed the gate to their world and were here… now… what they were to do with them?

'Hermione…' Harry tried even if the Pendragon couple tried to approach them and did so, Harry and Hermione seemed lost in their world.

'If we take them to the ministry, one, people won't believe they are who they are, two, they will have them responsible of the vibes, in the hysteria over the incidents, they will even hold them captive.' Hermione reasoned and Harry was ready to say they had no place to take them anyway but Morgana spoke up.

'No one holds us captive, I shall take that ministry thing down.' Morgana said firmly and Hermione sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

'See? She will turn herself into an enemy of the state…' Hermione said and Harry sighed too.

'Hang on a minute. How do you know you need to save Britain? Things have been kind of quiet for the past four years.' Harry tried. There were so many questions right then, why they were there, what kind of threat they had to face? Why they showed up the moment Harry and Hermione were there, when they had been so many times before. What they would do with them now that they were here? Could they just go away and let these two historical –and not mythical as proven now- figures just wander around to face some threat? It was the ministry's and the aurors' job to protect the community so leaving them on their own was out of the question, they liked it or not.

'We have no reason to trust you, young warlock, you were pointing that wooden stick before me as if you're the Heir of Slytherin or someone us powerful.' Morgana replied and Hermione and Harry looked at her with wide eyes, they had almost forgotten that people like Merlin and Morgana had been some of the first generations of students that passed by the Founders' teachings…

'I'm the one who killed the Heir.' Harry said and this time both Morgana and Arthur looked at him with wide eyes, he usually wouldn't gloat or even mention the murder he had committed but if he had to prove himself before Morgana Le Fay, he would do it.

'OK right now there is so much confusion from both parts, you can trust us. It's our job to save the community and we promise not to harm nor betray you, but we need you to help us here… maybe it's how it should happen for us to be here the moment you showed up.' Hermione tried to persuade the people before her and this time Arthur spoke.

'Morgana, maybe she's right, it's 2002… we lived so long ago, we should trust them, we have no choice and no place to go, we need to find it and we need help.' Arthur tried to reason with his queen and Morgana looked at him with eyes full of worry and concern.

'Find what?' Harry asked and after a sight and a nod from Morgana, Arthur agreed to explain, it seemed as if the two Pendragons were almost communicating with each other just through their eyes, just like Harry and Hermione did…

'We need to find Excalibur.' Arthur replied and Harry frowned at him.

'You… lost it?' he asked dumbly and Morgana rolled her eyes while Hermione glared at him. 'What? I was never good in history of magic!' he tried to defend himself and to his liking, Arthur tried to hid a grin.

'We will trust you if you prove worthy of our needs, we're lost in this new world and era but not helpless… I have powers and your King has too… do not test them.' Morgana threatened this time and Hermione got almost between them. Harry wasn't sure he would like the idea she was about to give.

'Lets calm down, we're in the middle of Glastonbury, you have nowhere to go, you are in search of Excalibur and we obviously need to know the story your way to help you. We're survivors of a war, professional capturers of evil wizards… we can help you, it's our duty and we have given an oath to follow it.' Hermione tried again and Harry was sure she used reasons that would suit the logic and morals of medieval people, it seemed to work as Arthur and Morgana looked at Hermione with eyes that showed some acceptance.

'Arthur…' Morgana whispered, giving him the final say, he nodded and took her hand.

'At least for the time being, we'll follow you.' Arthur finally concluded and Harry took a deep breath. 'But you will speak clearly before us for any kind of plan, you will let us know, you will explain and answer every question of ours, no secrets and no plots or I will make sure to stop this agreement by blood…' Arthur said and Harry could see the warrior, apart of listening to the threat, Harry wondered in which house he had belonged, when alive and if in Hogwarts.

'We should take them to our flat,' Hermione suggested and her voice broke Harry's trance.

'What? No! How will we just bring them there? In the heart of London?' Harry tried at her calm eyes, these brown eyes had looked upon him with many emotions, tears and in every occasion but right now they just waited for him to stop complaining so she could have her way.

'Harry, which other place? We don't know if they have enemies, we don't know if they will need some kind of shelter and they certainly have no kind of home right now or some place to search for the Sword. We need a plan, we need help...' Hermione reasoned with him and Harry sighed as he looked at the couple before them, a strange pang of guilt rose up within him as he looked at the couple's joined hands while he stood there awkwardly by Hermione without touching but he shoved that thought away.

'OK, we should apparate before the ministry sends more people to investigate; I'll report to them right after have them in our flat. Is that good?' he asked and Hermione smiled at him and nodded.

'It's perfect…' she said softly and he sighed and nodded. Hermione looked at the royal couple after a moment more looking at Harry.

'We better apparate… I should do it with lady Morgana and Harry should go with Kind Arthur.' Hermione finally said and the couple seemed to agree as they broke the hold of their hands and Morgana moved closer to Hermione while Arthur closer to Harry. Hermione hesitated for a moment but took Morgana's hand, not sure how she felt about holding the hand of such a woman, the queen of Avalon.

They disappeared from Glastonbury with a loud _crack_ and reappeared in a narrow street close to King's cross in the noisy London, both Arthur and Morgana seemed disoriented if not bothered by the noise of the busy city. Hermione and Harry led the way and she nodded when she made sure the street was empty for them to move inside the building.

'You will see a lot of things you won't understand the existence of, and some of them are magical so try not to use wandless magic if you get startled or if something goes off, nothing is of threat.' Hermione said as the four people moved up the stairs to the floor of the flat. Arthur and Morgana were looking around in wonder as they saw the elevator and the various security doors of the other flats. 'Oh and I have a cat.' Hermione added and Harry smiled at her blush.

'We're good with cats,' Arthur said with a smile, trying to ease the tension while Morgana only nodded in agreement. 'So you are in wedlock and this is your establishment.' Arthur tried to speak as to break the awkward silence that searched while they moved down the corridor and entered the house but the result was different as Harry and Hermione blushed furiously as they looked at him.

'We're… not married, we're just friends.' Hermione rushed to explain.

'We're best friends, but nothing more!' he added and blushed furiously as he looked at the wonder in Arthur and Morgana's eyes.

'You're not married yet you live under the same roof?' Morgana asked and Harry and Hermione this time looked at each other. Harry had no idea he would ever feel guilt but right now they were facing two very old people…

'Lets just have some tea and we can catch up on the past centuries…' Harry tried to buy time for both he and Hermione to explain as they moved further in the neat flat. What he felt about Hermione was strictly personal and strictly forbidden to be analyzed so having none else but Morgana Le Fay and King Arthur digging it up was out of the question.

'But I don't understand… how is this allowed? They're not in wedlock.' Morgana whispered to Arthur as Harry and Hermione led them all to the kitchen.

'Oh come on, Morgana…. Let them be, we weren't in wedlock when you sneaked in my chambers…' Arthur whispered back and Harry fought the urge to smirk, so the moral Morgana wasn't that moral after all...

'That was different! I was your healer!' Morgana retorted and Harry felt guilt for thinking ill of one of the founders of magic no less.

'I'm not talking about the later years, my lady…' Arthur said and this time Morgana batted his arm as they entered the smaller room, Harry's smirk returned but he hid it. They looked so odd in their medieval clothes in a modern kitchen. The sun had set outside and rain started in the April sky, Hermione prepared the tea while Arthur and Morgana sat down after Harry gestured for them to.

'So how you realized the prophesy is to be fulfilled?' Hermione asked as she set a tray with tea, sugar and milk before them and four cups.

'I had a vision, this time calling us to fight against this threat.' Morgana replied. 'I had many dreams in the past centuries, wars, plagues, but even when in the destruction of my religion, the religion of the Goddess, there hadn't been a call, everything happens for certain reasons… I had dreams of great and lesser evils, magical and not, but now, that Excalibur has been concerned, we're part of this bane, we're to help erase it.' Morgana replied and Hermione sighed and nodded.

'Can you describe your dream?' she asked and both Aurors could see the shadow upon the woman's eyes as she recalled the nightmare.

'You need to remember time in Avalon passes by differently, it's how I had it be when I enchanted the place, so the last time I had a dream seemed like decades ago by the standards here…' Morgana said before she could actually answer. 'I saw a man, terrible face, awful soul, holding the Sword, it seemed as if it was feeding from him and he from it… this should not be, the sword is for Arthur, made by Merlin, me and Slytherin, taken care of by me… this is wrong… but he was holding it, he was using it as if it was his own. He looked terrible, not even human, he looked like his soul had been destroyed and repaired but not fully healed, he was missing parts, he was not one of us…' Morgana was whispering by the moment she was finishing her words and Arthur held her hand again. 'And then… then I saw the summoning, a call to open the gate, to rip open the veil, to give Arthur a way back. But I couldn't have him alone here, I couldn't taste the same poison of losing him, so I decided to come too, and we stumbled upon you, in this foreign yet so similar place…' Morgana whispered, her crystal green eyes looking around, at Arthur and finally back at Harry and Hermione.

The two Aurors looked at each other after the information had been given, what man? Why he was so terrible, Excalibur had been made by Merlin, Morgana and Slytherin himself? What was that supposed to mean and who would have such power over it if not Arthur for whom it was created. This was a long afternoon and they needed rest to proceed all this and so many more things that had arose along the arrival of the Two.

'We hope we can help…' Hermione whispered and Morgana gave a tiny smile as Harry nodded, they had all calmed down a bit due to the tea. 'We'll find a way but first we need to have some rest, Harry will go to the ministry and I will show you your way to your room.' Hermione said and Harry looked at her, their flat was too small to contain everyone.

When they finished the training in the academy, they had decided to get a flat of their own so they could be close to the ministry but away from all the madness of the Prophet and the other Wizarding stalkers so a flat in London had seemed ideal. Especially after they realized they wouldn't be able to live separately since they had been close during their Hogwarts years, the Horcrux Hunt had brought them even closer and then the final year had found them as Head boy and girl in their own tower in Hogwarts. The community had gone crazy about them living together, refueling the rumors of a secret affair between them but to Harry and Hermione it had been as natural as breathing… and analyzing breathing was useless at best.

However, the flat was small, it had a small living room, a kitchen and a hall, and two bedrooms with their respective bathrooms, if Morgana and Arthur were to take one of them (possibly Hermione's as Harry's was a huge mess) they were to sleep in one bedroom or he would have to show chivalry and sleep on the couch, and chivalry was not his forte.

'I should find some clothes for both of you, allow me to take some of my clothes from my bedroom so you can have it. I will make sure to find some for you, Morgana and I'm sure we can arrange some for Arthur too from Harry's wardrobe. Harry should go to the ministry for the report and we'll arrange the sleeping arrangements here.' Hermione finally said and everyone nodded.

'If we take your bedroom, where will you sleep?' Morgana asked the question both Harry and obviously Hermione wished not to face directly. She glanced nervously at Harry and then shrugged at Morgana's direction.

'I'll sleep on the couch for the time being.' Hermione replied and Harry felt a pang of annoyance at her words, he beat down the hope that had wished to surface at the prospective of sleeping on the same bed with her, but he pushed away everything as he met Arthur's disapproving eyes addressed on him.

'Uhm.. no Hermione, the couch is small and you need a straight back if we're to face threats, we can't have you with aches and pains…' Harry started and he kicked himself mentally as he glanced at Arthur for something like confirmation… he guessed, whatever… 'I'll sleep on the couch.' Harry tried and frowned as he saw Arthur rolling his eyes for a moment before he could speak.

'You said you're best friends, maybe you could enlarge the bed and sleep in the same room?' Arthur asked and both Harry and Hermione frowned at him, after they got rigid and a bit greenish and Morgana bit down a smirk as she glanced from the King to the people before her, Harry felt annoyed as he saw something like mirth entering her gaze.

'Uhmm…'

'We'll see…'

'Maybe we shouldn't, Harry's bedroom is messy and I prefer to have the TV close by and my books, I would keep him awake with the light on.' Hermione tried and Harry was ready to rush and add more reasons, even if he felt more and more disappointed but Morgana rose from the table and Arthur stood up as well.

'These are excuses, you both need rest and we have occupied one of the rooms in your house, we won't accept to destroy your comfort if we're not reassured you both sleep in a bedchamber.' Morgana replied with words of nobility and Arthur smiled at her, Harry felt like slapping the great sorceress before him, she was pushing things and he hated it.

'OK, we'll find a way to expand the bed.' Hermione finally gave up and Harry looked at her immediately. Her eyes seemed insecure and he smiled.

'Sure, and I'll just turn around so you can read your books.' He finally said and she smiled and nodded. 'I better be going to the ministry then.' Harry added and everyone nodded once again as Crookshanks jumped on Hermione's lap and she took him in her arms with tenderness as she led the two Pendragons out of the kitchen.

Harry left through the floo that obviously Morgana was familiar with as she didn't seem startled by the green flames. He showed up in the Atrium of the ministry and from there he rushed to the floor of the Auror office where he gave his false report. There was noise on how quickly the tremors of magic stopped but Harry lied efficiently about going there, feeling the climax of the phenomenon as he called it and then stopped. Everyone seemed eager to believe him as to close the case and be done with it, however Harry felt the pressure of his lie the moment he signed the report, fully knowing that if or when discovered, this would be the ideal reason for Anderson to kick both Harry and Hermione out of the Auror body. With a sight, he sent the report to the Head office and left the ministry quickly.

He hadn't realized he was gone for an hour until he thought of his empty stomach and how much he would wish for a dinner. When he returned in the flat he found Hermione in his bedroom, cleaning up and gathering dirty clothes from around the furniture, the smell of stew filled his nostrils. She smiled the moment she saw him on the doorway and he smiled back, for some reason her sight in his bedroom, in her pajamas, with some of her personal items on one nightstand, from the side he never occupied, felt so right there.

'We cooked some stew, they ate and retired for the night. I gave some clothes to Morgana so she can be more comfortable and Arthur chose a couple of jumpers of yours and a pair of jeans. I helped him choose the ones you wear less. There is stew in the oven for you.' Hermione said and Harry smiled wider and nodded, it felt nice to know she took care of things, some of his worries embed away, someone was using Excalibur out there, someone corrupted and inhuman and destiny –or seer bad luck- had them again on the line to fight this bane. Yet the image of Hermione with her familiar moves, her beautiful eyes smiling tiredly, felt great, nothing compared her company, her very presence.

'I'll be back.' He whispered and she nodded. He went to the kitchen, ate the stew quickly and took a shower, having the hard day melt away quickly from him with the running water. He got a towel around his waist and got outside the bathroom in the bedroom. Hermione was in the living room, leaving him to change in peace. He smiled as he checked from the doorway and found her reading a book, as far as he could see the cover sideways, it was about the Arthurian legend, typical Hermione, he thought with a smile.

Hermione, typical or not, she had always been there, when he was young, when he was old, when he was angry and happy, desperate and victorious, furious and calmed, she had always been there and deep down he knew: she would be there in the future no matter what. When he had broken up with Ginny, she had accused him that he left her behind, that he never left her in, in his life and character, in his nightmares and fears, that there had been a wall all along between them, a wall that kept specific people on one side.

Sometimes he liked to think that Ginny had overreacted, that she had been exaggerating, but in moments like this, with Hermione reading peacefully, him all annoyed and bothered by what Morgana and Arthur had suggested, what they had dug up, he knew, Ginny, the Prophet, Skeeter, Krum, even Molly and Ron had been right. There was something between him and Hermione, and like hell he was to jeopardize his most priced relationship: his friendship with her for that little more somewhere promised in the lines. Lines that many times blurred, many times lost their meaning all together and sometimes remained as the only barriers before the mistake could be made. Lines, lines of all kinds and sizes remained between them, set by both, willingly and not, lines, lines he hated and worshiped at the same time.

'Harry, ready to sleep? I'm knackered.' Hermione's voice broke all the thoughts and all the worries as she looked in the room with her head on the doorway before the rest of her could show up. He smiled and nodded, pushing down all the feelings, all the guilt and the need and everything that come along the desire someone has for a person you want yet can't have.

He sat down on the his side of the bed, once he would have to take off his glasses but that had been taken care of in the Academy of Aurors a few years prior, he set down his wand however, closer to his reach than usual and lied down under the covers. Hermione followed suit and for a moment they remained completely still and silent, at least twenty centimeters between them, their sides touching the respective edge of the bed, their heads straight on the pillows. Harry waved his wand once and the lights went out, leaving the moonlight to give some light in the now clearer bedroom in the colors of lilac and cinnamon brown, in contrast of Hermione's lilac with mahogany brown bedroom. This one looked more like a man's bedroom with less books and more magazines, no paintings and a couple of posters and a huge desk of messy notes and files instead of the carefully arranged bookcase that stood proud in Hermione's bedroom.

The awkwardness stretched and grew until Hermione sighed and Harry turned his head and looked at her in the semi darkness, she turned her head too and their eyes locked, they had been in many situations in the past decade or so but never ever in the same bed.

'Some day, huh?' Harry asked and Hermione nodded with raised eyebrows.

'I'm worried over Morgana's dream, who could have Excalibur? We need to learn all the things they know about the sword and how it ended up away from her possession after Arthur's death in Camlann.' Hermione said and Harry sighed too.

'Lets just relax and sleep for now, so far nothing bad has happened and everyone seemed accepting of my simple lie at the ministry, one bane at the time.' Harry whispered and Hermione nodded and sighed, Harry almost gasped as he felt her hand touching his under the covers.

'Thanks for letting me in your bed.' She whispered and he smiled.

'You're welcome, my lady…' he grinned and she chuckled. They remained silent for a moment more but then there was a noise.

A squeaking noise.

And then a moan.

And a giggle.

And another moan, this time huskier…

'OH MY GOD!' Hermione whispered furiously and both best friends remained still and silent for a moment more.

Another moan.

'_Oh Arthur…' _a muffled exclaim of… pleasure, it was definitely pleasure. Hermione gripped her wand form her nightstand and immediately silenced the entire room. Harry bit down his chuckle at her seer panic.

'I can't believe Arthur Pendragon and Morgana Le Fay are doing it next door,' Harry said now louder and Hermione groaned.

'I can't believe they're doing it _on my bed!' _ she exclaimed exasperated and this time Harry chuckled and snorted a laugh, looking at Hermione who she finally cracked too.

The laughter they shared, automatically moving closer to each other as their eyes filled with tears of humor and naughtiness made the long day's events go away in their heads, they laughed and chuckled and started laughing again until there was not a breath left in them and they had to calm down for oxygen.

And then, exhaustion took over and they fell asleep, their bodies bended closer to each other and in his half asleep state, Harry felt like putting his arm around Hermione's waist would be the best thing to do, and he did, not thinking or overanalyzing the seer feel of comfort and the promise of sleep with no nightmares and terrors...

* * *

ooooh ok... we learnt more things about how harry feels... he's not a fool but we have many things to learn yet and we'll see hermione's side in the next episode, along more things about arthur, morgana and the legend from this point of view :) and hoho the awkward moment when King Arthur and Morgan Le Fay are fucking next door :P

please review and let me know what you think, what you want to see in the future and what you don't like

thanks for reading

xxx


	3. Revealed

OK here we are after a week, yep all the updates in 2 days hehe both this and the century fic

huge thanks for the support guys, i'm so glad you enjoy the story so far and i think this chapie will be very satisfying for both harmonians and armorians and hp-arthurian legend fans in general

a small note: JKR says that the founders created Hogwarts about 1000 years before 1992 (when McGonagall was telling us this in CoS) and that Merlin was a Slytherin (according to Pottermore) but Merlin if existed along the rest of the Arthurian characters existed about the 4th to 6th century as the Battle of Camlann took place around 537 so lets go with JKR's timeline and not the muggle version of the legends as not to get confused, huh? :)

Enjoy...

* * *

_Chapter Three – Revealed_

Hermione's eyes opened wide the moment consciousness rushed inside her brain, her dream had been about a sword and a battle and Harry and some inhuman figure trying to curse them all but she pushed away all the images as she went rigid the moment she realized how she had woken up.

She was on her side but she was not alone, her arm was resting on a male arm that was wrapped around her waist while the other held the hand of the arm pillowing her head. She had slept after the shock of knowing that King Arthur and Morgan Le Fay had done it on her bed and had woken up with the shock of Harry Potter's arms wrapped around her in his own bed. Harry seemed completely off so she fought the urge to just bolt up to her feet, her heart was hammering as if she had just been busted with her hand in the honey but she tried to contain herself. No one knew of this, Harry didn't know of this and she should definitely forget about this as well. It was just in their sleep, they were comfortable with each other, no need to freak out when you can't control what you're doing while asleep.

She stood up slowly and frowned the moment Harry groaned but otherwise remained asleep. She tugged him back in, for a moment lingering her eyes on him, how peaceful he looked, how younger with his glasses gone thanks to the healers in the training. How handsome he had grown up to be. She knew him ever since she was a girl herself and now they were grown ups, adults, still the best of friends, the best of partners and the best of flatmates. It was all she had and she wouldn't risk it for nothing in the world, even that little more she so much craved when she allowed herself to consider her feelings towards the person she should be seeing like the brother she never had.

She glanced at the clock on the nightstand and realized it was too early in the morning to think about all the mess within her heart and to wake up Harry by accident so she took her wand and tip-toed out of the chamber. Crookshanks was right outside the door, looking at her accusingly and she almost felt guilty as if her cat could know she had sneaked out of the room as to avoid dealing with her feelings, as if she hadn't tried in the past.

The house seemed peaceful and the door of her bedroom was still closed so Hermione assumed Morgana and Arthur were still asleep. She had yet to believe she had two legendary figures in her house as guests but she had to get used to the idea as they had returned for good and to stop a madman from destroying them all.

Coffee. Hermione thought, she needed to coffee to work with all these facts, not even good old British tea could help so a cappuccino would help.

She gasped the moment she found Morgana in the kitchen, as silent as ever, trying to realize how the oven worked by the look of utter wonder in the sorceress' eyes.

'Let me,' Hermione tried as she reached the kettle, filled it with water and set the gas oven on. 'Good morning, slept well?' Hermione asked and Morgana smiled as she still looked curiously at the kettle, possibly searching for the hearth beneath it. She looked so much different in casual modern clothes and her hair seemed a little more tamed, she looked oddly fitting.

'Lovely, very comfortable bed…' Morgana commented and Hermione almost groaned as she knew very well how comfortable Morgana had gotten in her bed.

'You didn't use your magic to set fire…' Hermione pointed out, both curious and grateful for Morgana not setting some fire in the full of wooden cupboards kitchen. Morgana spared a strict glance at Hermione that had the younger witch almost blushing.

'We don't use Magic for simple tasks, it's a disgrace to its nature.' Morgana lectured and Hermione wondered how she would take the fact that countless practical magic spells had been invented over the past centuries.

'You'd like to drink coffee or tea?' Hermione asked but then realized Morgana has possibly never tasted coffee. 'Never mind, lets drink tea.' She added at Morgana's curious expression.

'I have so many things to understand,' Morgana murmured as the two sat made the tea and took seats on the dinner table of the kitchen.

'Me too,' Hermione said pointedly and Morgana sighed, the two seemed very bright but so awkward before each other.

'Me first, why you have wands?' Morgana asked and Hermione tried to think of a simple and satisfying excuse.

'I suppose through the years, magic had to express itself, objectify itself as to choose the ones to practice it. For example, I come from two parents with no magic, yet magic chose me.' Hermione tried and for the first time, saw acceptance and appreciation in Morgana's eyes.

'OK look, Morgana- can I call you just Morgana?' Hermione asked and the woman before her nodded with a small smile. 'Alright, here in Britain, both you and Arthur and … the rest I guess are legendary figures, mythical for the muggles, legendary for us but I had no idea the prophesy about Arthur's return was real. I thought it was just a folklore story for people to keep believing through the years of wars with other nations. There have been so many different versions of the story of Arthur and I need you to tell me exactly what has happened so we can figure out who that man is and what kind of threat he means to all of us.' Hermione said and Morgana sighed and nodded, examining with her eyes the star patterns on her mug.

'How am I seen in general? Through the legends I mean.' Morgana asked instead of answering and Hermione felt actually uncomfortable with what she had to say than angry with Morgana about not telling her the truth.

'Well… at worse you are shown as the evil sister of king Arthur who tried to kill him more than once and had his only son poisoned with your lies that drove the boy to kill him in Camlann, at best you're the evil sister of King Arthur who even if for years opposed to him, you eventually turned around back to his side and ultimately saved him by taking him to Avalon…' Hermione said and she could see the sudden sadness in the crystal eyes of the woman before her. 'But let me reassure you, many modern historians do recognize that your image has been dissolved because of the church and the way it wished to demonstrate women during the years of Darkness that followed the falling of the Old Religion.' Hermione rushed to explain but Morgana seemed angry instead of sad now.

'And what about Merlin?' she asked and Hermione sighed, she felt like gossiping her era to the source of some power unknown to her.

'Well he's considered the greatest wizard in time. Greater than the Founders… Queen Maeve… and you…' Hermione almost mumbled and then jumped on her skin as Morgana slammed the mug on the tabletop with force that had the mug cracking. Hermione fought the urge to repair the mug with her wand as not to infuriate the sorceress more.

'My reputation rotted in mud while he got with fame and admiration, next thing and you'll tell me there is an order in his name!' Morgana exclaimed in anger and Hermione cringed.

'There is…the one he created.' she whispered before she could stop herself and this time Morgana shot up to her feet and started strolling around the kitchen, obviously she has no affection for Merlin as the one she showed to Arthur the previous day.

'He created it with _me_!' Morgana screamed finally and waved her hand for the kitchen door to snap closed for her voice not to be heard again. Hermione would have felt trapped if she hadn't been tempted to lecture on Morgana about trivial magic but this was obviously not the time… the woman before her was seething. Crookshanks who had followed Hermione in the kitchen jumped on the table the moment Morgana sat back down and looked at Hermione with determination in her fierce green eyes. 'You asked how things happened and you have obviously known the wrong version of the story.' Morgana snapped mostly to the room than to Hermione in her anger. Hermione could only nod and gesture for her to start.

'Lets put things straight then.' She offered as she decided to bring another mug and the entire kettle for Morgana's tea. The sorceress seemed lost at where to start for a moment but then nodded to herself and spoke.

'I was the youngest daughter of the Duke of Cornwall, Gorlois and his wife Vivienne, my sister was Morgause and my parents were both magical. When I was two and my sister seven, our father died in battle and my mother remarried after King Uther's proposal. He too had lost his wife Igraine in childbed, Arthur was almost two as well and I grew up in the same household with him and our parents. We were not blood related but we were considered siblings. Uther was opposed to magic and kept both Morgause and myself in a distance, he even wished to send us to a nunnery but my lady mother was good friends with Rowena Ravenclaw and she gave Morgause away first at the age of eleven. The Founders had just created Hogwarts and my sister was one of the first students there.

'My mother hid the fact that she had magic and so she did with me until I could leave the palace as well for Scotland and the Hogwarts Lake. In my years in court, Arthur and I were as close as ever but when I reached the needed age, my mother sent me away to save me from possible danger as Uther was about to start the Purge.' Morgana started and Hermione felt that old undying thirst of knowledge raging within her.

'When I arrived at Hogwarts, I met the founders. Morgause was already taken by Rowena and she was ready to take me too under her protection and guidance but Salazar Slytherin stopped her and claimed me for his house.' Morgana kept on and Hermione noticed that the woman's eyes darkened at the mention of Slytherin.

'Merlin was there as well, in his sixth year while Morgause attended her fifth. From the moment I started practicing magic, in the ways the Founders taught us to, I showed signs of great power and potential. Rumor has it that Slytherin even fought with Rowena Ravenclaw over me the night I achieved my first Patronus Charm… in the second semester of my first year.' Morgana said with pride and Hermione felt her eyebrows rising, she was impressed but of course Morgana would be powerful.

'I was a curious child, ambitious and outspoken for a girl, obnoxious as Uther always said, brilliant as Slytherin always praised… I discovered things I shouldn't have in my fifth year. The prophesy of Nimueh the sorceress of Night, about a sword that was to be forged for the King that would unite the realm, the prophesy was old but I was mesmerized, and caught by Slytherin and Merlin who had been visiting Hogwarts even after his graduation…

'Slytherin and Merlin knew of the prophesy and instead of keeping me out, they decided to have me helping. My mind was quick, my magic immediate as a thought. They wished for me to be part of the forging, of the creation of the sword that would keep the realm under protection and safety. At least that was mine and Merlin's ambition… Salazar wished to match Godric Gryffindor and his own sword, powerful weapon, amazing magic within it...' Morgana mused and Hermione found herself gasping at the information.

'You mean…' She tried and Morgana nodded.

'Salazar Slytherin, myself and Merlin created Excalibur. To match the sword of Gryffindor and every other sword. Powerful, deadly… an object of pure magic.' Morgana whispered and shook her head after a moment. 'Let me continue.' She added softly and Hermione nodded expectantly.

'By the time I was graduating, we had the sword ready in secret. The prophesy spoke of the sword in the stone and we decided to follow it as to have the king taking the sword, but we wished no harassments so we added a small complication. Since Merlin and I would be gone from the school after graduating, Salazar would take care of the sword in the grounds of the school, in the lake of the school… where he could have a clear view of it from the dungeons of our common room and his office, spelled and hidden from other people, he could make sure it's there every day…and Merlin and I would search for the king that would be able to take the sword out of it…' Morgana went on and Hermione could feel her heart beating fast.

'It was how the rivalry between me and Merlin started, at the same time the Founders fell apart… Merlin reached every corner of Britain, searching, trying… while I returned to the castle by the time Uther was in his deathbed… and Arthur was taking the throne… What Merlin never forgiven me for was that I found the King and I helped him reach the lake…' Morgana went on and Hermione gasped again, she drank more of her tea.

'You're the lady of the lake?' she asked in wonder and awe and Morgana nodded.

'The day I brought Arthur in the magical place, the only muggle who has ever set foot in there… The founders were in disarray… Gryffindor had found out about the sword and the fight that had been brewed for years with Slytherin finally took place, shortly after Helena's disappearance with the Diadem and the search of the Baron for her… Hufflepuff had tried to hold them together but she had not been successful. Salazar had supposedly made that chamber of terror of his and left Hogwarts, leaving the sword behind without telling any of the other three about where it was… just like the chamber…' Morgana explained and Hermione couldn't believe her ears.

'He indeed made the chamber, I have gotten in that place… and there were terrors in it indeed…' she added, remembering that brief moment of utter fear when she saw the Basilisk through the mirror before she could get petrified in her second year. Morgana didn't seem surprised by the revelation.

'Salazar was a monster…' Morgana whispered and Hermione felt sad even by the tone of the woman before her. She sighed and kept up. 'I helped Arthur with the sword and he became King…he was already a good ruler but the legendary sword established his reign over everyone…' Morgana went on and smiled a bit, before her lips could turn into a frown.

'The ironic part is that Merlin at first refused Arthur… the result of Salazar Slytherin and his pupils should have been in the hands of a pureblood wizard king and not a muggle… It was Merlin who informed Slytherin of what I had done… I hadn't searched for either of them and led Arthur straight to his destiny… it must have hurt… having such an idea for yourself and having young vicious Morgana stealing the glory…' Morgana whispered with a smirk that didn't quiet match her features in Hermione's opinion. 'And they punished me for it…' she concluded with another frown.

'By the time Ravenclaw was dying, Slytherin was upon me and Arthur and the newly united realm… Merlin wished a part of the fame and the destiny of his to be the best of all so he eventually turned around, decided that Salazar parting with the Saxons would only bring banes to our door so he finally accepted that the Prophesy had been fulfilled in the face of Arthur and he should be by his side than against him…' Morgana said and Hermione widened her eyes once again that morning. 'Yes… the Saxon leaders were actually spelled to smash Britain under Slytherin's power… his Heir would one day take care of Hogwarts and the magical world but now both I and Merlin had "betrayed" him so he had it as a goal in life to destroy the muggle kingdom…' Morgana said and Hermione sighed and then frowned.

'Wait a minute… what about Guinevere and the rest?'Hermione asked and Morgana gave a small smile.

'I am sorry, this story has so many aspects, it's hard to keep a track in everything… When I returned to the castle that was to become Camelot, Arthur was already locked in a political marriage with Guinevere of Wales.' Morgana started and Hermione gasped. 'Yeah… but that didn't stop Arthur and myself from becoming lovers and continuing our bond… you see, Hermione, we were adults and we loved each other, had realized so years back. Guinevere was a good woman, a noble one… and in love with someone else…' Morgana said and Hermione gapped. 'Lancelot had been her guard the moment they arrived from Wales and sworn to protect her… They had fallen in love with each other by the time Arthur and I were reaching Hogwarts.

'It had been perfect at first. Arthur had Guinevere in the eyes of the people, to keep everyone calm and waiting for an Heir… But I was his healer and closer advisor, not with a seat on the round table but standing by his side, helping and advising him, making sure he would make it through every day… I was the queen without the crown, I was the wife without the wed band.' Morgana said with pride in her voice once again. 'Until Merlin showed up, having decided that it was best for him to be there… Arthur accepted him, thinking that if things were good with one magical person, me, at court, it would be even greater with two magicians… I accepted because I loved Arthur, because despite my rivalry with Merlin, I knew he would be useful for the King.

'The three of us created Britian as it is known today… Merlin informed us of Salazar's intentions with the Wolves. He created Camelot for the Christians, Arthur had his quest for the Grail, that in fact was an object of great power and not what the Christians thought it to be, and I created Avalon, became its Priestess for the people like me, for the people who were to go or just left Hogwarts… Merlin and I created the Order for people who needed protection and people who wished to live freely among the realm subjects while they had magic... ' Morgana said and Hermione nodded at the information.

'You… you had a son, right?' Hermione asked hesitantly and Morgana's eyes for the first time seemed lost and full of pain.

'You know of him? What do you know of Mordred?' she asked and Hermione felt terrible for now she could see the mother in Morgana's eyes, the mother that had obviously been through a lot with her son.

'That he killed Arthur… more or less.' Hermione whispered and Morgana put a hand on her mouth and fought tears.

'You know the truth then…' she said with a broken voice, making Hermione gasp, she had hoped that Morgana's son hadn't tried to kill his own father, she had hoped it had been another misconception of the historical facts.

'For years, the realm was in peace, Camelot was in peace… Guinevere was barren as it was soon proven so we were all calmed that no bastard of hers with Lancelot would occur, you see Arthur and Lancelot looked like day and night and a child so different from his father would rise questions… The wolves were stricken again and again and one night after a great victory, a Beltane night, I conceived my son by Arthur.' Morgana said and a tiny smile crept back on her lips.

'I knew it was a boy the moment I felt him kicking in my womb. Arthur had been ecstatic, I was his sister only by the wedding of our parents and we were having our child, an Heir for Camelot, for Britain, but as Mordred grew in my womb, so my fear of something going wrong did. I had nightmares every night, a battle, blood and Merlin moving among corpses, trying to find me and me begging him "to save him"…' Morgana was talking in whispers now and Hermione wasn't sure she wished to know more, it felt like stepping into a desperate place.

'I created a prophesy myself, in my desperation to save everyone, that the Great King would return one day to save Britain and I made sure Avalon would be able to accept me and Arthur no matter what. The realm had been in peace by then, only priests and priestess lived in Avalon, it would be the perfect place…' Morgana added and sighed.

'I almost died in childbed myself, my son was a large baby full of magic and strength, Arthur had been possibly at his weakest during those hours of the labor. But I remember waking up after the pain and Arthur was holding our son in one arm, and he was holding Excalibur with the other hand, promising to our son that one day he would have it, to rule and concur… to be just and great. And I had smiled and asked to hold our boy. Arthur named him Mordred, he wished to have half of my name in it, so he could call me every time he called our child…' Morgana's voice was coated with pain and longing, Hermione looked away as she knew things turned different later on.

'We presented Mordred as Arthur's nephew and Heir Apparent since years had passed and of course Guinevere had never given birth even to a stillborn. The realm felt reassured, accepting of my fatherless baby being the Heir. People forget their curiosity for a child with no father when it is to be crowned prince one day… Merlin hadn't been happy about the turn of events but he knew there was no other way, the years were passing by and the Saxons were still raging on against us, an Heir was needed for the enemies within court to be silenced.' Morgana added and sighed again.

'Mordred grew to be an amazing young man, he looked like me but he had Arthur's eyes, and soon enough, people recognized Arthur in him but again, they kept silent. They knew Arthur and I were not related by blood, they could see Guinevere was barren and they could see Mordred as a good boy, innocent and beautiful. If they were to be kept at peace by a Muggle King with a magical sword, his nephew or whatever that boy was would be his heir and they would be happy…' Hermione frowned as she saw Morgana's eyes darkening.

'The Nightmares returned after the Night of Samhain close to Mordred's fifteenth birthday. I had refused for him to attend Hogwarts as Merlin and I were his tutors. The realm needed to be seeing him often so he was there with us but as my son grew with every day, so the nightmares became more and more vivid. I warned Arthur and he told me to calm down, nothing major had happened in years, nothing would happen then. I even told Merlin and he told me that no matter what, he would take care of Mordred in time of need. I believed the damned man and I paid for it with my life's destruction.' Morgana said angrily this time.

'It was all about one mistake, wrong timing. Aggravaine was Arthur's uncle from Igraine's side. A poisonous snake who always wished to overthrow Arthur and take the realm, he opposed to me and Guinevere the moment Mordred was declared Heir Apparent and I knew he would be part of our downfall…

'He caught Guinevere and Lancelot one night, by pure accident and the start of the end started there. We had no other choice but exile Guinevere and Lancelot as to save their heads, the people demanded punishment and the Queen had enough enemies at court, a queen with no children is always a disposal queen but Arthur refused to separate from her, dishonor her and send her to a nunnery away from Lancelot. A king can remarry only if his wife is either dead or in a nunnery and neither Arthur or I wished such thing for Guinevere. We all served a purpose and what happened had been an accident. After the exile, the Saxons believed we were at our weakest, the betrayal was being known across the kingdom and soon the North rebelled, opening its ports to the Wolves who were driven by Slytherin…' Morgana explained the facts and Hermione nodded, wanting to know more.

'I sent Mordred to Avalon the day his father left to fight at the Borders. I needed to protect him and if it was for Camelot to fall I needed him safe in a magical place… I had to stay back and rule in Arthur's place and Merlin promised me he would take care of my son no matter what while Arthur had the magical sword with him…

'I learnt about the armies moving to Camlann in the middle of the night. I was called with the last forces that held Camelot to join battle and since I was a swordwoman and the first Lady at Court, I would lead of the army. I sent word to Avalon, hoping to reach Merlin and Mordred but it was then I learnt my son was no longer in the Isle. Because Merlin had left to help Arthur behind my back and Slytherin had found the perfect opportunity to reach Mordred in the unprotected Avalon and poison his mind with lies and twisted words. And Merlin was nowhere to be found and help my Mordred.

'I had no idea where my son was until I reached Camlann and joined Arthur in battle. I still remember the ache in my arms as I run my sword through enemies, how the golden dragon of my armor was sprayed with the blood of the Wolves.

'I remember myself listening to my son's voice calling Arthur and for a moment I had thought he had brought some part of the army from Avalon. I had thought Merlin had led him there. My heart broke when I saw my boy, Camelot's heir in the armor of the White Dragon of the Saxons, reaching my love within the battle and striking him down while Arthur was still turning around to find his son. In his blind pain from the blow, Arthur attacked back and soon my son and my beloved were kneeling before each other, wounds full of blood sucking the life out of them…' Morgana was whispering again, her eyes lost in the terror of the memory.

'Mordred had been a boy… innocent, foolish boy who thought Slytherin had wished the best for him… he hadn't been able to strike as hard as Arthur had, Arthur had been trained to kill… my boy left within moments, whispering his beg of forgiveness from us. I kissed his cheeks like I had been doing every morning before his training with the sword and promised him he was forgiven, I promised him it hadn't been his fault… He closed his eyes in my arms and then I crawled close to Arthur who was drifting away slower but certain. I needed to heal him but he almost refused me, whispering he deserved to die for killing our boy but I refused to lose both of them. It was then I saw Merlin walking among the corpses around us, it was then I realized my nightmare had become true. I begged Merlin to save Arthur and he told me to fulfill the prophesy I had created… he was to take care of Camelot, the sword and stop Slytherin… I took Arthur away and for the first centuries in your timeline of this world, I nourished him back to health and fought away the demons of guilt over what had happened to Mordred…' Morgana finally said and Hermione couldn't stop herself, she reached across the table and took Morgana's hand in hers.

'I'm truly sorry, Morgana, I had no idea,' she whispered and Morgana smiled and nodded, patting Hermione's hand with the other.

'I guess that's why it made a good legend… because it's so tragic.' Morgana said with dry humor and Hermione gave a sad smile and a nod before she could have a question rising in her head.

'What happened with Merlin and the things he had to do?' Hermione asked and Morgana sighed, her eyes still darker.

I saw Merlin once again after years in Avalon's time. He had been grey and old, ready to die and wished to tell me of what he had done, I had changed little, you see when I made Avalon and then spelled it to become a shelter I made sure time there would be slowed down, I could meddle with time like a maid could meddle with pearls… I was powerful back then. Merlin was grey and tired by the time I last saw him. He told me that the Saxons marched through Britain after Arthur's dismissal, Camelot fell and Caerleon, Cornwall, Anglia and the rest of powerful cities fell. Slytherin was truly lost among the years. He had achieved what he wished and was gone, tainting Hogwarts and destroying Camelot… he had his revenge and left like he always did…as for the Sword, the so called greater wizard in time hadn't been able to destroy the sword as it needed all three of us and he only made it to hide it. However, Merlin found in his years with Excalibur that Slytherin had been smarter than both he and myself…' Morgana said and Hermione looked at the woman before her in wonder.

'I told you at first that while Merlin and I thought that we were helping to create the sword for the realm, Slytherin wished to make it to match Gryffindor…' Morgana pointed out and Hermione nodded. 'Both Merlin and I had no idea about what Salazar had done to the sword while he had watched it within the lake. He had added a small portion of magic that would directly link him to it.' Hermione frowned deeply now.

'How he did that?' she asked almost frantically.

'Like tainting Hogwarts with the Chamber of Secrets, he had tainted the Sword too by adding a link to his own bloodline, not just the king's that would yield it. I realized that fairly late…and so did Merlin so that's why he hid it, for the Heir of Slytherin never to find it, I guess we had been lucky that the Heir had found only the Chamber as you told me but I had hoped he would never find the sword too as I saw in my nightmares before the call to return could be made…' Morgana said sadly but her expression changed into wonder as he watched Hermione's utter terror. 'What is it?' she asked as Hermione's hands were trembling as the realization of what Morgana had said settled in.

'Morgana… when the call took place? With the difference in time and all?' Hermione asked in panic and Morgana frowned.

'Well for me it was only yesterday but obviously some years have passed here. It's a matter of destiny on when it will happen, my prophesy predicted that Arthur would return the moment he would be needed the most and he had been needed because only he and the Heir can use the sword and I'm the only one still alive from the ones who made the weapon so… I guess we're right on time, the call took place the moment Excalibur had been activated again by the Heir.' Morgana replied and Hermione stood up, her eyes clouded with disbelief.

'This is impossible, Morgana, Harry killed the Heir, he was Tom Riddle, or Lord Voldemort as he had called himself but he's dead, for four years now, he's gone.' Hermione said frantically and Morgana sighed and looked at Hermione seriously.

'As you can obviously see, there are ways to fool death…' Morgana tried but Hermione shook her head.

'You don't understand, he fooled him, he created Horcruxes, and we found them all, we destroyed them all, this is impossible.' Hermione was almost shouting now, the mare possibility of Voldemort being back made her want to throw up in fear. She had been through enough, she wouldn't have more.

'And how you're so sure you destroyed all the pieces?' Morgana asked and Hermione looked at the sorceress before her.

'Well he had made Horcruxes out of symbolic objects. One of Hufflepuff, one of Ravenclaw, the diadem Helena had stolen to be exact, the locket of Slytherin, a family ring of the Gaunt family that belonged to the Slytherin bloodline, his old diary for his years as a student… his favorite creature, the serpent and by accident, Harry himself when he attempted to kill him but failed. He had six Horcruxes, and one that he was himself the remaining and a seventh made by accident …' Hermione reasoned and Morgana shook her head again.

'No… Hermione, you can't count himself as the seventh Horcrux even if he made Harry Potter as the eight by accident… I'm sure he had made seven Horcruxes and he held himself without accepting to objectify himself… Seven was the powerful number in magic since the dawn of time and a wizard as the Heir would never accept to equalize himself with objects or creatures no matter how symbolic they all were… and as you said, he never used something of Gryffindor's? Why not the legendary sword? That had been Godric's trademark like Rowena's Diadem… possibly because he used another object… an object as powerful as the sword of Gryffindor yet linked to himself… and what a greater object than –

'The legendary Excalibur…' Hermione added and Morgana nodded gravely, the obscure green eyes of the sorceress melted within the fearsome brown of the younger witch's and both women knew, they needed to inform both Harry and Arthur of their findings, every minute passing was against them.

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ok ok ok i actually love the plot i created here lol (proud nod) what you think guys? as i told you all it won't be closely based on the merlin series, i just borrow my otp from that ugly place so i can give them happiness and of course i want the same for my harmony

soooooo it looks like VoLdIe is back! what you think guys? could it be? what you want to see next? we have the arthurian legend linked with Harry Potter for good now! let me know of all the things you think about the chapie and the future of the fic :D

thank you for reading, please give feedback so i know the effort is worthy :D


	4. Once

Hello everyone, sorry for the small delay here, I have been super busy and a minor accident with me as the vicitm of my bike topped it all, I hope you're still interested :)

Enjoy...

Chapter Four – Once

'Arthur Pendragon, don't you dare fall back to sleep!' Morgana yelled this time as she and Hermione were both sat on the coffee table –after Morgana's persistence to have the men before them so they could explain- but Arthur was still trying to wake up more or less, next to an amused Harry who had gotten used to be up and sober thanks to the training of aurors, and Hermione's strict schedule around the house.

Arthur almost bolted up and raised his hand, showing he was sorry, Morgana glared for a moment more and then nodded her head as Arthur sat up straighter on the couch and shrugged at Harry who almost grinned, the wizard's grin faded the moment he saw Hermione's unchanged face, her eyes focused on him were full of concern and that made his stomach knot.

'Ok, tell us what's wrong and we couldn't even have some tonic before all this, what did you figure out?' Arthur asked and Harry sighed and nodded, he still had trouble accepting that the couple before him in his and Hermione's clothes were the legendary King and Sorceress but he was sure everything was a matter of adjustment…

'Alright… Hermione, do the honors since you know more about this threat that I do.' Morgana started and Hermione nodded and flickered her gaze away from Harry who was still felt uneasy. They had found the madman.

'Harry… Arthur… we talked, Morgana and I and she explained to me about how and why they made Excalibur, herself, Merlin and Slytherin,' Hermione started and Harry narrowed his eyes at the information, it was never a good sign to have Slytherin mentioned in his life, the house that could have taken him, the house his nemesis had came from.

'And we figured out that the only person who is able to use Excalibur and all its power is Voldemort.' Hermione said quiet boldly and Harry who had wrapped his arms before his chest nodded in agreement, he had no idea about the details but he was certain Hermione and Morgana had figured it out.

'Very well, where does that lead us since he's dead?' he asked after the silence stretched between the four. Hermione's eyes told him everything he needed the moment she looked at him.

'By using it, I mean even making it a Horcrux…' she almost mumbled and Harry felt his stomach dropping, his blood freezing within his veins. No.

'No… he's dead, I have stopped using Parseltongue, my scar is not in pain for the past four years… you can't possibly believe he's still alive AND with Excalibur in his possession… if he was he would have slaughtered me the moment he could have the chance and since the ministry hasn't given more than a shit about the Witness/Victims protection program as you very well know, he had plenty of chances. I'm sorry but you're both mistaken.' Harry finally said and even if Morgana and Arthur were looking at him in wonder and confusion over things he had said and they didn't comprehend, Hermione was looking at him with that Hermion-ish look that he hated, the look that showed that her logic could change his words, he hated when his words were changed, when his world were changed…

'Harry…' Morgana tried but Harry shook his head and stood up.

'No, I'm right this time and you're wrong, there is no way for him to be alive, I would have felt it, I would be able to know and for the past years I live in something like peace, try again and figure things out and I'm willing to help here but about Voldemort, you're wrong.' Harry said and moved out of the living room. He could hear Arthur saying that maybe they miscalculated something, Morgana demanding for Harry to return but it was Hermione's voice that made him almost cringe, she almost whispered she would follow him. With a crack, he apparated away.

She heard the crack of apparition, only herself, Harry and a bunch of people could move in and out of the place with magical means and Harry's words had been the reason for the protection, the ministry for which they worked now, hadn't cared too much after the war. It had done its best to mend the _memory _of the community but not the community itself. All of Harry's words had pained her, but above all, his angry, stubborn face had hurt her the most, she hadn't seen that expression in almost four years.

'Let me go and find him, you stay here and try to figure out how Voldemort could be separated from the sword, Harry and I are just the ones linked with him, you're linked with the sword, I'll bring him back.' Hermione said and both Morgana and Arthur nodded.

'How do you know where to search for him?' Arthur asked as she stood up and she sighed.

'I know him… that will be enough.' Hermione stated and moved outside the living room, took her wand and left with another crack for the place she was certain she would find him.

As always, Godric's Hollow gave her a mix of feelings that started from serenity and ended in fear, knowing it was where the Potters had found some peace, and later on rested in peace because Voldemort had discovered them through betrayal. Voldemort, she hadn't fully accepted it herself, and how could she? She had seen him falling, had seen the spell deflecting, the corpse later on, how was it possible? And on the other hand, her discovery made sense, he was powerful, he could have fooled them, hidden somewhere, they had never found solid proof of how many Horcruxes he had created, never realized how deep his lineage to Slytherin was and they had no idea about Excalibur and what had happened….

She moved inside the graveyard and moved towards the right root and turned on the right corner. She knew he had felt her presence, she knew he wouldn't either send her away or accept her, he had put his walls up, but she also knew it was her and only that always took down the fortress he used against so many others.

She approached the double tombstone and sat next to him on the grass, for a while they remained silent, Hermione took her wand and created a bunch of flowers for James and Lily, only then Harry gave a small smile, her flowers next to the ones he had conjured possibly before she could arrived were amazing, roses against plainer daisies.

'I have been begging you to teach me how to create roses…' he commented and she smiled.

' I have been begging you to _learn_ to create roses…' she countered and he chuckled but it was coated with sadness.

'I guess now that more tombs will be added, I'll manage it.' He said gravely and Hermione looked at him.

'You believe me then?' she decided to ask instead of commenting on even more casualties. He nodded his head slowly.

'You're brilliant, Hermione, and you know me, you wouldn't just blurt out something if you were not sure…' he commented and she sighed and nodded. 'And I guess all that connection I had with him was broken by him and myself in 1998, right?' he asked and Hermione sighed and nodded.

'It's possible, from the moment he broke connection by killing his part inside you… maybe that's why he never finished you, never let Bella play with your corpse, maybe that's why he never rushed to recollect all his previous Horcruxes… it's possible he had been using his strength to a greater back-up plan… he sacrificed his Horcruxes to keep us busy, I think… while he somehow enchanted Excalibur…' Hermione tried to click the new pieces of the new puzzle. 'But all this is speculations, we need a plan, we need to talk to specific people, we need to protect Morgana and Arthur. He's the one the sword was made for and she's the only one still alive from the three who created it, her signature is blended with Merlin's and Slytherin's, and Arthur's the one who can use the sword better than anyone else. We need to find the sword and we need to keep them safe.' Hermione tried and Harry sighed and run a hand through his hair.

'We _need _to do a lot of things once again…' Harry commented bitterly and Hermione sighed.

'We need to do it once more… then we'll be free,' Hermione tried to comfort him but he could only chuckle in misery and look at her. He could feel it all coming back, the unease of taking her with him in the Hunt, of her actually refusing to be excluded, how he left behind Ginny and how lost he would have felt is Hermione had left as well with Ron… how she stood there, through cold nights and painful encounters with Death Eaters, she still held hidden with a spell the scar on her arm, for the outsiders not to see. And now he was taking her to the abyss one more time, and now he knew very well what his teenaged mind wouldn't accept back then: if something happened to her, his life would have no meaning.

Hermione gasped as he suddenly grasped her face and shoulder and kissed her hard on the mouth from their sitting position before the tombstones. For a moment she remained frozen almost in fear, in disbelief, in painful pleasure but then she responded, just a tiny bit before they could break the kiss.

'No,' they whispered together.

'Not now,'

'Not yet,'

'First we'll try to finish this…. then we'll see.'

'I don't want to lose you…'

'You won't, I know, you're scared, I'm scared, we screwed up in the past with the others, but we're not the others. We're not, we'll figure it out after all this.'

'We should head back, we shouldn't let Arthur and Morgana unprotected.' Hermione finally said and Harry nodded and stood up before he could help her on her own feet. Out of habit, or instinct, they held hands and moved out of the graveyard. The kiss still lingering soft in their minds and burning their lips. It was bad timing, the worst possibly but they were them, they would figure things out, showing a tiny bit of how they both felt towards each other after years of playing hide and seek was a major step, staying alive through this new war was the next step…

They side along apparated and as they felt their bodies moving through space, they felt something pulling them wrongly, Hermione was on the lead so she apparated them both outside the flat in a tiny alley right next to their building. The moment they apparated they could hear the screams and sirens, the smell of fire and debris filled their nostrils, they both raised their eyes towards the floor of their flat and their stomachs dropped the moment they saw the big chunks of debris burning in the place their flat stood until a few minutes before…

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OK OK, small but very full huh? Yep Harry wouldn't have taken it well and of course Hermione knew him better than anyone else, and THEY KISSED! (and almost regreted it right afterwards...) you just know they wouldn't be able to deal with their own thick heads so give them time and AAAAH the flat is on fire! why you think is that?

thanks for reading, please review


	5. On Repeat

Hello everyone! sorry for the delay but writer's block is an awful thing, here is the new chapter, a bit small but it has both Armor and Harmony, you have possibly noticed the problem with ff erasing rated m fiction, well i have started moving all my fanfictions in adultfanfiction . net so in case you lose my work here, visit that site, i'm still moving everything chapter by chapter so please be patient but i promise all my work will be re-uploaded there, there too i'm Christina Potter 09

thank you and Enjoy...

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Chapter Nineteen – On Repeat

Harry and Hermione rushed up the stairs of the building, the sirens still echoing outside as they approached the place, their minds racing with possibilities, wands at the ready the burst in the corridor of their flat and rushed close, oddly there were no muggles around, they could feel strong magic emitting from their place and that worried them the most.

They got through the door and for a moment they stopped and stared at the big chunk of wall that was missing, fire was eating half the living room but the rest of the house was still intact, they rushed closer and with their wands extinguished the fire at most parts, muggles were approaching and they knew very well they couldn't make it all go away just magically… but Hermione cast a fire-not charm and the flames stopped destroying everything that still was.

'Arthur!'

'Morgana!' they both screamed the names and for a moment there was silence.

'In the bedroom! Hurry!' Arthur's voice was heard and the two best friends rushed in the room from which Arthur's voice had been heard. They entered Hermione's bedroom and found Arthur cradling Morgana's unconscious body in his arms, she didn't seem visibly injured but that meant nothing when magic was involved.

'Someone got within the flat, he set the place on fire and tried to leave but Morgana attacked him with her own spells and then he injured her, something he did with his wand!' Arthur said in a panic as Hermione approached and tried to check Morgana. 'Is she?...'

'No, but she needs help and we need to leave right now,' Hermione replied and Arthur sighed in relief as he nodded his head and picked up Morgana's body in his arms. Hermione rushed in a drawer of her vanity and took out her old small magical bag, Harry gaped.

'Always ready, we're aurors after all,' Hermione replied his shocked expression, of course she would be ready for times of need.

'Forest of Dean, I'll meet you there after I'm done with the muggles, try to help her until we're needed in the ministry, they will trace all the magic and the different signatures, we can't betray these two but we can't remain undercover forever, go and don't even think of taking them to Saint Mango's.' Harry said and Hermione was nodding all the while, he was saying all the things they both knew they couldn't and could do out of habit, out of his need to gain some control, by the end of his words, Hermione was clutching Arthur's forearm and apparating away to their spot in the forest of Dean, their spot that had helped in many cases even after the war when they needed shelter while in missions or just a place to escape.

The next moment Hermione was in the middle of the forest with Arthur still hectic over the apparition and his injured soulmate. Hermione helped him lay Morgana on the forest floor and picked up her bag. She accioed a dozen potions in vials of many colors and soon she was scanning Morgana's body with her wand, trying to concentrate beside Arthur's heavy breathing and whispers. Hermione soon felt the source of the pain and weakness, too much magical power where the spell had landed on Morgana's left arm, close to the heart, she ripped the fabric of Morgana's borrowed blouse and rubbed the skin with two potions before she could cast spells on the spot. Morgana soon coughed and gasped and Arthur rushed to steady her head, her crystal green eyes opened only for a moment and then closed again. Hermione exhaled as she watched the reactions.

'She will be fine, the curse was an infectious one, if it had landed on her heart it could have proved lethal for her bloodstream, she'll recover but she needs a sterilized environment, stay with her while I'll be casting spells and setting the tent for us.' Hermione said to Arthur who nodded and sighed, he looked so casual in muggle clothes and so far from royalty with all the worry and fear on his face.

'You have done all that before?' he asked and Hermione sighed and nodded, he only nodded back and let her to what she thought best.

'_Protego Maxima.' _Hermione started with hands raised in the air, her mind tried to push away all the worries about who could have tried to attack, who could be aware of Morgana and Arthur's return, was it Voldemort strait away or someone else? Maybe a spy? Someone had seen them? Someone who had felt the vibes all along? Someone from the ministry? And they hadn't been able to inform anyone, soon the attack in their flat would be grand news in the Prophet, they had inform at least their friends, and at the same time shelter Arthur and Morgana from all eyes.

The kiss she had shared still lingered on her lips, another thought to push away right then.

'_Muggle repulso maxima' _she kept on with the wards around the place, that same place that once was covered in winter snow, now seemed like paradise with all the spring blossoming around them, always the perfect place for her to run away to.

When she was done with all the spells she moved close to her bag again and accioed the tent that had replaced the one they had used in the war, this one was newest and slightly larger in the inside, with an extra room full of supplies for two aurors, the supplies would end sooner now that they were four and one injured but she would worry about that later on. She set the tent within moments and helped Arthur again who was amazed at how quickly things happened with modern magic involved. Since this tent too held two bedrooms and a small living room with a desk for mission planning, they placed Morgana on one bed, the accommodations similar to the ones of the flat.

'If you wish, I can stay with her for awhile, Harry won't be back soon since he must deal with the ministry people and the muggle services.' Hermione whispered but Arthur shook his head and caressed Morgana's long curls, she too looked so different without her cloak and with eyes closed, if Hermione didn't know better, she would just think the young woman before her is a beautiful muggle and nothing else, no wand, no magical signs while her eyes closed. Only then Hermione noticed the start of a tattoo from the place she had ripped open the blouse, above Morgana's borrowed bra-that Hermione had persuaded Morgana to wear-. Arthur noticed Hermione's eyes there.

'It was the symbol of her people, she gained it during the wars between us and the Saxons, when she became leader of the Druids, she was the High Priestess and the Druid leader, the sorceress that no one else could match. And when Mordred attacked me, she was there to help me, she stood by my side days and nights while in Avalon… so I'm not going anywhere now.' Arthur whispered and Hermione remembered all the things Morgana had told her about how life had been for them and their son.

'You think Harry will be fine?' Arthur asked and Hermione sighed but nodded.

'We have been busted before, he'll manage, I will have to show up sooner or later to help him at the ministry but I'm afraid this will be the perfect moment for our superior to fire us…' Hermione said calmly, only if Anderson reached the reports of the whole mess would be enough to finally sack them both.

'Why fire you?' Arthur asked and Hermione chuckled sadly.

'Because after the war, we were supposed to make a better place out of the ruins of the war… but you see politics haven't changed much from before that period… now we ended up being both the heroes for the people yet the thorn in the side of the system that we didn't make to destroy.' Hermione replied and Arthur nodded with a sigh of his own. Morgana moaned slightly in her slumber and he caressed her face.

'I always hated politics… they prevented me of doing so many things… Morgana hated politics too, yet she forced both of us to follow them, play the game… sometimes it felt like we lost the game… times like this.' Arthur whispered and Hermione looked at him for a moment, beside the muggle clothes and the causal exterior of his face, Hermione could now see the king she couldn't see before a few moments, he had been through a lot, he had ruled and fought in battles she couldn't imagine, he had cleaned blood of his enemies off his face and hands after battles on his horse, there were no wands for him, only his Sword, and that Sword was now in jeopardy along all of them.

'I'll let you with her, I should check on Harry. The Wards will keep you safe, do not move out of the tent, and if she wakes up feeling thirsty, give her only water and this in it,' Hermione finally said and handed him a small vial with a black liquid. 'It will help with possible pain and discomfort, it tastes awful so warn her first and then make her drink it all.' Hermione added and Arthur nodded as he held the vial and glanced at Morgana. 'I'll be back with Harry.' Hermione finally said and Arthur nodded again.

'Be careful, Lady Hermione,' Arthur said, slipping with the title that didn't belong to Hermione, she smiled and nodded her head as she exited the room and then the tent, she exited the wards too and then shielded them back, then she apparated with a loud crack.

The place that once held her home was now vacant of muggles but full of magical people, casting spells, measuring magical activity, three agents from the ministry had cornered Harry in a corner, asking questions, Hermione was sure she had seen these three trailing behind Anderson in multiple occasions.

'Ah, Ms. Granger, you finally make it,' one of them that Hermione believed was by the name McKay said as he noticed her presence, without glancing at Harry and rasing suspicions, she nodded her head and looked around her.

'I was visiting my muggle parents when I felt the wards activating the alarming signal in my wand.' Hermione lied easily before the agents. She looked at the other two, Emma Greengrass and Edward Decker, she remembered him vividly now, always behind Anderson, of course the Minister would send her best hounds to check the enemies.

'Do you have some idea why there are different magical signature within your quarters that linger from more than one day?' the agent asked and Hermione shrugged and shook her head.

'I have no idea, all I know is that my flat is half destroyed. Does the ministry has any idea why its top Aurors were left unprotected thus?' Hermione answered and asked back, if she glanced at Harry she knew she would see him smirking. Agent McKay cleared his throat and frowned.

'We're still investigating.' He mumbled and Hermione nodded obviously.

'Great, until you're done investigating and you have some satisfactory results given to the ministry's quarters so we can follow and proceed with our testimonies, you'll excuse but we should go and gather some of our remaining belongings and leave.' Hermione said and McKay's face darkened.

'Where will we be able to reach the both of you?' he asked or mostly demanded, Hermione smiled sweetly as she seized Harry's arm with her hand, already pulling him away.

'Possibly at the Burrow, if not at my parents' in Camden or maybe at the Lovegood residence, if not in any of these places you should allow us to keep the location secret as not to remain targets, since the ministry failed to protect us…' Hermione replied as sweetly and McKay and the other two were ready to argue and protest, she and Harry were slipping through their fingers like water and they could do nothing about it, at least not yet. 'If you'll excuse us now… Harry, I need some help with my belongings and I'm sure your robes can contain more shrunk things than mine.' Hermione said and Harry nodded with a huge smile on his face.

'Nice…' he whispered as they entered her bedroom and she closed the door, gaining just a bit of privacy. 'How's Morgana?' he asked a moment later as Hermione accioed several stuff from around the room, mostly books and maps.

'She'll recover, probably some days of rest and some good meals, it was an infectious curse for the bloodstream, like the ones invented by purebloods… but she's been through worse.' Hermione answered quickly.

'We need to talk to Ron, Luna and maybe Malfoy,' Harry replied with more duties and Hermione sighed.

'You think Malfoy will help?' she asked and Harry sighed.

'Well he chose to leave the Death Eaters years ago, I think he will help now, after all he's the only who doesn't like the system like we do and he's the only one in the Department of Mysteries, maybe he knows something that can share with us.' Harry replied and Hermione sighed. Draco Malfoy, after the Death Trials as the trials of the Death Eaters post war had been called, he had been proved innocent and gave half his fortune to the ministry as a gesture of Good Will for the community, he had finished his education in Hogwarts and had became an Unspeakable for the Ministry, a ministry that failed to gain trust and respect from many people, him included. Harry and Hermione had kept a minimum and distant relationship with him since they worked in the same place and in many cases their departments worked together, since the Sword was a magical object there were possibilities he could give them some information about its use or its history and the possibility of the ministry having it up to a point in the past years.

Hermione sighed but after a moment nodded with a small sigh. 'Very well, I'll go and check on Arthur and Morgana, then to Luna, you should go to the Burrow, we'll go to Malfoy at his house in the afternoon, when he'll be away from the ministry.' Hermione finally concluded and Harry nodded his head and moved closer to her.

'About before…' he tried to start but she stopped him.

'Not now, Harry, we should focus on this mess. Someone attacked the house, they know Morgana and Arthur are back, we need to focus,' Hermione put up all her walls and conscious self, she could see the sadness and disappointment in his eyes, she felt it too, but they had to attend in all these new matters.

'Very well,' he finally said and left the room, leaving her alone to finish gathering her stuff.

'This is not how I imagined my life after the war…' she whispered mostly to herself with a sigh.

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oooh ok, back to our sweet forest for the harmonians, and some angst for the armorians, i hope you enjoyed it even if it was small next chapter we'll have more people like Luna, Ron and Malfoy into the mix, i hope you're enjoying it so far, please review and let me know :)


	6. Of Revelations and Potatoes

Hello everyone, here is the new chapter :D I hope you will enjoy this one, it has a little bit of everything i promise

Enjoy...

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Chapter Six – of revelations and potatoes

Harry moved up the path of the Burrow with Hermione right beside him, they had changed their plans slightly to get faster to the needed results, they had apparated right to Luna's and then re-apparated to the Burrow as to talk to everyone at the same time.

The house was semi-empty, George lived close to Diagon to keep the shop after Fred's passing, Arthur was at the ministry, Ginny lived on her own in Hongsmeade and the house was currently occupied only by Ron and Molly who spent some days of relaxing before Ron could leave again for his spot at Hongsmeade, taking care of the shop he and George had opened over two years ago.

'We're listening,' Ron said over his full of food plate that was getting less and less while he devoured it, Luna too waited for her friends to speak. After along breath, Harry started.

'You will soon learn, possibly by Arthur that our flat got attacked by strangers, magical strangers.' Harry started and Ron chocked on his food while Molly who too listened to this sat down and covered her mouth with her hand.

'The thing is, we had guests in the house that right now are in hiding, where we'll be going to as well,' Hermione kept on and all eyes moved to her, after a brief nod from Harry, she kept on. 'The guests, even if it sounds impossible, are Arthur Pendragon and Morgan Le Fay…' Hermione kept up and Luna gasped and looked at her as if she was seeing her for the first time.

'I knew it…' Luna whispered and curiousity got the better of both Harry and Hermione and looked at her with curious eyes. 'I had my suspicions but… this all makes sense.'

'What are you talking about?' everyone asked in one voice and Luna smiled at them.

'All this activity Harry and Hermione have been taking care of with the office…' Luna started and both Harry and Hermione looked at her almost in fear, this was supposed to be top secret of the Auror office but Luna was a smart Ravenclaw and an editor for the Quibbler, somehow she had gotten information. 'I noticed all places of this energy emitting from had to do with the areas concerning the Arthurian Legends, according the folklore prophesies: the king will one day return, Father and I have noticed many occurrences the past months, strange behavior, something in the air, we knew something big would happen and here it is, the king and the fairy are back! Can I take an interview from them?' Luna was almost daydreaming but while Ron and Molly watched with worry over her sanity in their eyes, Harry and Hermione had paled before the amount of information she had.

'Well you can't, but you're right on everything else.' Harry said still shocked and this time the two Weasleys looked at him with crazed expressions.

'You three can't be serious, bloody hell, is this a joke?' Ron exclaimed but Hermione and Harry shook their heads while Luna smiled wider.

'OK, listen and keep this only here, not even with the rest of the family, the less you know the better it is but for now at least, someone needs to know in case something goes wrong with us.' Hermione said and Ron had even forgotten his food for this.

'For weeks we were trying to detect the source of the energy emitting from various places of Britain. A couple of days ago that energy manifested in Glastonbury and we were sent by Anderson to investigate.' Hermione started and Ron only snorted at the mention of the minister.

'There, we found a huge gap of dimensions and from that gap Arthur and Morgana came through, it was an… eventful meeting but they explained that they returned as to save Britain like the prophesies spoke of. The thing is that we have found out that the calling for them took place because someone is using Excalibur.' Hermione went on and the three people before her were frozen listening, she decided to keep up than ask anything about them following the whole deal.

'And through some talking, calculating and well frankly guessing and reconsidering, we believe that Excalibur is being used by Voldemort and that is a possible reason for him never retrieving his Horcruxes, not having time to actually, never making a Horcrux out of the sword of Gryffindor, since he planned to have Excalibur and finally not making it to reach the Hallows in time before us as he was possibly searching Excalibur at the same time…' Hermione kept talking and the people before her wished to speak once or twice but remained silent.

'The thing is that for now, the less you know the safer you will be, the ministry could easily sack us right now and we need to keep Arthur and Morgana safe, the attack happened when we were not in the house. The Sword is connected to both of them and whoever attacked the house, they knew that Harry and I were not there and they attacked to kill so… we needed you to know in case we need help. Do not speak of this to anyone until further notice and if we must, we should alarm you about the Order or some other form of gathering. For now we'll talk to Malfoy and find a way through him and the Department of Mysteries if he can help. Whatever we spoke of should remain here between these walls.' Hermione explained, showing she wouldn't share details for now. The people before her nodded and sighed, still too shocked to ask more things.

'I'm coming with you,' Ron said curtly but both Harry and Hermione spoke up, expecting this.

'No,'

'Ron, no,' both of them said and Ron was ready to protest but this time Harry allowed Hermione to speak and persuade their best friend.

'This is a ministry matter, a ministry mission and case, we need to keep it secret, by telling you all this we play our positions but involving more people will only cause danger, for everyone. We decided to inform you because we believe Voldemort may have a way to return, and if he does indeed, we need people to alert the old order and help. The ministry, like before, won't accept the fact of his return but by then we'll be needing a lot of help. We'll let you know through our patronus if we need more help, until then we just need you aware but immobilized about it.' Hermione explained and Ron was ready to protest but before the serious faces of his friends he finally let his shoulders fall and nodded.

'Fine, but whatever you need, you will tell me first, you will let me know the moment even one small thing goes wrong with you or the… King and the Witch,' Ron said, losing a bit of his words when he had to speak of Morgana and Arthur, surely still in shock over the infamous return of the King and his Sorceress.

'We should go back and check on them now.' Harry said and stood up first. Hermione followed and nodded her head, they had to check on Arthur and Morgana and then go and visit Malfoy when he'd be back from work and away from the ministry eyes.

'Contact us for whatever you may need.' Molly said and Harry and Hermione nodded as she hugged them and patted their cheeks like she would do when they were twelve year olds.

'Take care, guys,' Luna said and hugged both of them as well, surprising them a bit.

'Whatever you need, just send the patronus and I'll find you.' Ron said as he gave a hug and a pat on Harry and hugged Hermione and caressed patted her head playfully. 'And please, be careful,' he almost whispered to both as he let go of her, they all nodded and smiled with difficulty, knowing their friendship weren't as it once was, for any of the three of them, but they still loved each other and were ready to die for their respective best friends.

Harry and Hermione left the Burrow quickly and when they were out of the wards raised by Mr. Weasley, they disaparated straight to the forest of Dean and the tent Hermione had set up. Before they could get inside the ministry, Harry stopped Hermione by the hand.

'When I got in the ministry, Anderson wished to see me but she looked so urgent, so scared and quick for me to give her my excuses, she threatened me of losing the job but it was evident something else was happening, something big, people were moving in and out of the offices, notes were flying around all the time. It was more hectic than usual and everyone seemed so worried and panicked. Something happened while we were under attack.' Harry finally said to Hermione, they hadn't spoken a lot since they had been busted in their apartment and then went to the Burrow but she needed to know about what he had seen the moment he reached the ministry for his report.

Hermione looked at Harry with worried eyes and then glanced at the tent behind her. She ran a hand in her mane and Harry struggled not to linger his eyes on her move but focus on her eyes.

'Ok, whatever it was, Malfoy will probably know about it, it must have happened more or less at the same time with the attack in our apartment, he will know and tell us about it. Maybe the attack and the while commotion are connected because frankly, I don't think all that you describe was because of the attack on us… they hardly care. but for now, we should just be calm for Morgana and Arthur, they're here for hardly two days and they've already been attacked. Morgana needs rest and I'm sure Arthur does too. They're so out of place and now they will have to adjust here so we better be calm for them and take every step at the time.' Hermione said and Harry nodded and sighed, she tried to keep the balance – as always-, she tried not to fall apart herself.

'Hermione…' he whispered and she waited, not sure what to say, should he reassure her? she was better at reassuring than him, he always crawled and growled while she pulled through. Should he mention the kiss? No, that would definitely torn her apart, they had said they'd wait and now things only got more complicated, he was still unsure and worried over the kiss, had they made a hug crack in their friendship? Or had they made a tiny step for something more? 'I just want you to know we…will find a way for all of this,' he ended up with lame words but Hermione smiled and nodded, taking his hand and moving closer to the tent after waving her wand for the wards to accept them.

They moved inside the tent soundlessly, in case Arthur and Morgana were asleep but they heard light talking from one of the rooms, the entrance for that part of the tent was sealed with the fabric that helped as door.

'I think they will make it, both of them seem strong enough,' Arthur was saying as Harry and Hermione moved closer. They weren't sure if they wished to interrupt but as curious Gryffindors they remained silent for a few moments more.

'I don't know them and trust them completely but I believe you're right, they seem trustworthy and humble, always a good combination for warriors.' Morgana was saying, her voice clearly tired and worn off.

'I only hope we'll get to the Sword faster than that Lord, we must find it and him, if he activates it with his own magic, we won't be able to finish the mission and save Britain.' Arthur seemed to change the subject and both friends could hear Morgana sighing from the other side of the fabric.

'We need to learn more about him and the wars he caused, Hermione told me a few things but we need more, I need to understand how Salazar's heir made it to overpower the Sword's power. We should go to the Lake of Hogwarts, where I had hidden the sword, so I may speak with the Mermaid kings and queens, learn more of their own history about this. I need answers.' Morgana was saying now with a cold, calculating voice.

'We'll find the answers, history won't repeat itself,' Arthur said more calmly and a bit of silence followed. Harry and Hermione looked at each other during those moments, they could communicate through their eyes, so after Malfoy, the Hogwarts lake, somehow without the ministry knowing, somehow without putting Arthur and Morgana in danger.

'I really think Harry and Hermione are struggling with their feelings for each other,' Morgana suddenly said from the other side of the tent and Harry felt his stomach dropping while Hermione visibly paled.

'What do you mea-?'

'We're back!' Hermione almost screamed in panic, cutting off Arthur's words and avoiding Harry's eyes at any cost. The two Aurors heard movements from the other side of the fabric that shielded the room and soon Arthur was moving the fabric away with one hand while with his other arm, he supported Morgana who even still pale and seemingly tired, looked at them with something that mysteriously seemed like mirth in her eyes.

'Welcome back,' she said calmly at the two blushed people before her, she glanced at Arthur who seemed oblivious and she sighed, sometimes she wondered over how more obvious some people should be for Arthur to catch up with their situation.

'Could we make something for dinner? I'm starving,' Arthur said and both Harry and Hermione seemed more than eager to separate ways for Hermione to go the tent's kitchen while Harry reached the little apothecary as to bring out magically preserved vegetables, meat and rice.

'How are you feeling?' Hermione asked Morgana as both she and Arthur approached the same moment Harry brought the needed things for the soup Hermione would make. Morgana nodded and smiled a bit tiredly.

'Better than the moment the spell hit me, my pride is a bit wounded but I shall recover.' She answered and Hermione gave a small nod and a smile as she checked Morgana's wound from above the blouse, mostly touching the skin and flesh and checking Morgana's reaction which was satisfactory.

'Just a good meal and you'll be just fine, as for your pride, we all have fallen, don't worry, no judgment here.' Hermione said and Harry gave a knowing nod behind her. Morgana nodded at both as Arthur sat on a chair close by and invited her to sit on his lap. With their casual muggle clothes they looked just like a couple in love and not two legendary figures in the history and mythology of Britain.

'What are you going to cook?' Arthur asked to keep the talk in painless subjects as Harry helped Hermione with the vegetables without speaking.

'A soup with potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and rice, maybe some meat to make us feel good, a stew.' Hermione replied and Arthur and Morgana noticed Harry smiling behind her for the first time ever since they saw him returning. Hermione followed their gaze and saw his smile. 'What?' she asked and he finally looked at her. The moment she had screamed their arrival as to stop Morgana and Arthur talking about them, he had felt a stab of pain for her panic, for her flat denial to even listen a thing about them, let alone talk for it.

'A few years ago, she could barely make a mushroom soup.' Harry commented lightly and Hermione blushed while Arthur and Morgana watched them with wonder. Hermione batted Harry's arm and then swatted him with a kitchen towel.

'My mushroom soup kept you alive during those weeks, Harry Potter!' Hermione exclaimed offended but she couldn't stop the small laugh that escaped her lips at the end of her words, he laughed again and the sound made her feel warm inside after all those hours and days and weeks and months of awkwardness and hidden discomfort.

'Or almost killed me…' Harry added and Hermione this time swatted him more until he escaped from the kitchen, saying he was going to bring more wood for the magical stove. Hermione sighed and returned to her vegetables, making sure not to meet the persistent eyes of Morgana's that were digging holes on the back of her head while Arthur had a confused and oblivious expression on his face from something that had been mentioned a few moments ago.

'What is potatoes?' he asked and this time Morgana looked at Hermione with curiosity as the young witch looked at the both of them with a sigh, she was feeling for the past hours as if she was babysitting two grown, oblivious and utterly powerful babies and now she was in the middle of nowhere once more, hunting down once again Voldemort and trying to cook better than the last time she had to do all that… life was indeed cruel with her…

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Well i wanted all this to end with a little humour because hermione is indeed in a difficult position... Morgana knows muhahaha and we saw Ron, and Luna, I hope you liked the way Luna knew of course and Ron was willing to follow, i'm trying to be good with that character even if he's far from my favorite, next chapie? the action starts, we'll have Malfoy, surprises and possibly Hogwarts... as katie mcgrath says: the thick plotens :P

please review and tell me what you think, i'm doing my best here but motivation is what every writer needs

thank you


	7. The Lady of the Lake

Hello everyone! consider this an early Happy Birthay gift for Harry's birthday on the 31st. I hope you will all enjoy it, it's one of the shots i wanted to make from the start and i hope you will like it, i don't have many reviews over this story but i still like to be making it, but more support is always welcome :)

Enjoy...

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Chapter Seven – The Lady of the Lake

Hermione's eyes opened with a snap and her brown orbs looked around in panic. She couldn't remember the dream she was having but small flashes of green, screams and panic bubbled within her mind. She stood up from the tent's bed and she looked at Harry who was sleeping next to her, like in their apartment, there were two double beds and they hadn't bothered, or tried to consider even, - the possibility of magically dividing the bed into two.

Harry was sleeping peacefully next to her, he seemed completely oblivious to the world and a small hint of a smile was on his lips, his hand slightly extended towards where she had been sleeping. She tried to push away the sudden pride that raised within her, she knew he was still having troubled sleep and now with the return of Voldemort as possible as it could get, she had feared he would be having nightmares again, but a small part of her mind liked to think that he didn't have them because they were sleeping on the same bed.

She decided to push away all such thoughts, in a few hours they would be going to Hogwarts, contacting McGonagall had been the easy part, Minerva had granted them access but only within the time of dawn for everyone's safety and discretion. Morgana had to speak with the Merpeople and learn more about the sword's extraction after her and Arthur's departure for Avalon. Then they would visit Malfoy at last to check if he knew anything about the case and the department of mysteries.

Hermione knew she wouldn't be able to sleep more, she stood up and moved outside the tent's section that marked her and Harry's room to go to the kitchen and make some tea. As she was passing through she noticed that Arthur and Morgana's bed were empty. By then, Arthur should have been keeping watch but where was Morgana?

Panic surged through her veins as she grabbed her wand and rushed outside the tent, what if someone had attacked them? What if Morgana had felt something and tried to help Arthur and now they were both gone?

Hermione stopped in her tracks the moment she was outside the tent when she spotted Arthur and Morgana under a tree, still within the wards' protection. She took a breath and was ready to move back inside the tent without disturbing but she lingered there in the darkness for a minute as she got captivated by their sight.

At first she had thought she was interrupting an…intercourse she decided to tag it within her head but then she realized that they were fully clothed and almost unmoving. Arthur was sat on the ground, his back against the tree, while Morgana had straddled his lap, their arms around each other. Only the moonlight was illuminating the forest of Dean and Hermione knew she should have return to the tent, make that tea and wait for the time to pass by but she was mesmerized by the sight of the two medieval figures.

She couldn't hear what they were talking about but she was certain they had found themselves like this before in their lives. Arthur seemed solid, calmed yet sober, stabilized on the earth like a king should be, steady and unyielding. While Morgana above him seemed like a phantom, a creature of air, a fairy, a female being of mystery and beauty. But together, together they made a union of power, of history and completeness.

Arthur's hand ran down Morgana's mane and she smiled at something he whispered, her hand touched his jaw line with her finger until it reached his lips and he kissed her fingers one by one before he could lean into her touch as she rested her forehead against his. Hermione decided she was sneaking into something too personal, something too unique for them so she moved back inside, not realizing she had tears in her eyes until she bumped onto a very familiar body who grasped her arms to stop them both from falling.

'Where are they? Why are you crying?' Harry had woken up when he realized he was alone on the bed to find an empty tent and he had been out of his mind with terror as he grasped his wand and was ready to burst out of the tent only to bump on Hermione on his way out. Now he held her by the arms and looked at her, wanting answers as she took away her tears.

'It's ok, they're outside, within the wards on their own, we shouldn't disturb them. They seem like nocturne people.' Hermione said and Harry felt half relieved.

'And why you're crying?' he asked more softly now, he hated when she was crying, she had cried way too much in her life and he hated it every time. Hermione shook her head and looked at him with a small smile.

'I am not sure, to be honest.' Hermione whispered and took away fresh tears. Harry kept his hands on her arms but loosened their grip as he wrapped one arm around her shoulders, their complicated issues aside, he was there for her when she needed him. 'I just saw them outside, on their own and remembered the things Morgana told me about their life…' Hermione tried to explain and Harry finally nodded and hugged her tighter. He sighed as he understood the reasons of her tears, she wished what he wished, a better future for both of them and Arthur and Morgana, the four of them had been through too much.

'I know… we'll find a way.' Harry whispered and kissed the top of her head tenderly, usually he wasn't the one trying to cheer everyone up or keeping the hope alive but right then, Hermione needed it. The awkwardness of the past days returned at full force as the tent took a lighter color because of the first sunrise in the horizon outside.

'Harry…' Hermione whispered as she moved a step away and looked at him, he looked back at her, still holding her.

'I know.' He said again and she nodded, it still wasn't time, they needed to focus, they needed to find a way through all their banes first. 'We should alert them and leave for Hogwarts.' Harry added, wanting to show her that she didn't have to ponder more on their issue, he knew she was uncomfortable, he knew there might be a war before them but he also knew that if this was to be over and they were still alive, it would be a struggle still for them to find a way through the delicate lines of their friendship.

The crack was heard across the field as the four showed up before the massive gates of the school. Harry and Hermione were ready to lead the way but Morgana was already reaching the iron gate and was pushing it open, sometimes both friends forgot that Morgana had been in their school way before them. Arthur followed as he too had visited the place as to take the sword once so Harry and Hermione were left to trail behind, all the while checking for possible signs of danger.

Morgana's face was serious, sober and unmoving yet her green eyes were vivid as she looked around at the place.

'I missed the place,' she whispered as she moved in the black blouse and black trousers she had chosen from Hermione's clothes. She turned her head towards the forbidden forest. 'You're not allowed to enter the forest, am I right?' Morgana asked and Harry and Hermione nodded their heads and looked at her in wonder.

'You were allowed at your time?' Hermione asked and Morgana simply nodded.

'Everyone was, until professor Ravenclaw died…' Morgana only said and Hermione was ready to ask, Harry was certain that part wasn't included in _Hogwarts, A History_ and Hermione was dying to know what was hidden behind Morgana's enigmatic words but they had no time as Morgana moved towards the lake and looked at Arthur who nodded and took her hand as to help her move within the first steps of the water until she was knee-deep in the lake.

Arthur moved back and gestured for both Harry and Hermione to move a few steps back as Morgana closed her eyes and raised her arm towards the water, her hand open as her eyes flashed in a brilliant amber color and old English words were formed in a complicated spell.

At first nothing happened but then a tremendous noise followed the wild convulsion of the water and then the giant squid appeared with its tentacles hitting violently the surface of the water. Harry and Hermione withdrew their wands from the sudden uproar of the beast but Arthur gestured for them not to interfere and move a few more steps back as the water kept convulsing around Morgana who remained stoic before the giant beast. More English words escaped her mouth and her eyes flashed amber again, making the squid disappear back in the depths of the lake and the water to calm down considerably.

'What was that?' Hermione asked in disbelief, in all her years she had barely see the squid but this had been quiet the display of its power for someone who tried to contact the merpeople.

Silence followed for a few more moments and then a dim glow appeared in a spot of the lake that grew larger and larger until it shot up and outside of the water, aiming Morgana with speed. The sorceress again raised her hand and stopped it, kept the ball of energy within her grasp and sent it back within the water with even greater force. Harry and Hermione looked in fear towards the castle, they were certain Morgana had spelled the castle for its inhabitants not to notice a thing and they could only hope that since she had been in Slytherin, she had remembered that the dungeons of her house were looking at the lake and the entire madness that was unfolding for the past minutes.

The water convulsed again and suddenly a rip was created from within, the water of the lake gushed and soon a team of almost twenty male merpeople showed up in the shape of a circle. When the circle opened to a crescent, their queen, Morgan was revealed among her guard. The face of the inhuman creature seemed angry but she approached Morgana by leaving her guard close by, their bodies were half in the water, their tridents ready for attack.

Morgana moved a step closer and spoke in noises that Harry and Hermione would swear were the merpeople's language. After a moment queen Morgan replied in the similar noises and as they could understand in a hostile tone. Morgana spoke again in the same language and the queen gestured negatively with her head, looking for the first time at Arthur and the two friends before she could look back at the sorceress.

Morgana spoke once more, this time louder and her words seemed to provoke the guard who screamed in protest and pointed their tridents towards the human in the lake. Arthur made a step closer but this time Hermione held him back.

Queen Morgan spoke again and Morgana interrupted her curtly, their voices even if making inhuman language seemed angry and accusing. The conversation seemed to be ending until queen Morgan spoke another set of words and that provoked Morgana to raise her hands and sent two massive balls of energy, one towards the water of the lake, away from where the group was and one towards the forbidden forest, where it erupted in a rain of green lights and sparkles. Queen Morgan seemed surprised but nodded after a moment.

She started talking and Morgana listened carefully, nodding while the queen spoke and gestured towards Dumbledore's tomb, the Hogwarts castle and the forbidden forest. After the queen was finished talking, Morgana gave a small bow and the queen nodded her head as she raised her hand, Morgana did the same and the two seemed as if gesturing farewell. The queen retreated back to her guard and they enclosed her in their circle before they descended back in the depths of the lake. Morgana waited until the waters were calmed again as to move outside and she did so with slight difficulty because of the water that she had to move through. Arthur, Hermione and Harry approached quickly as the king took her hand and then held her, she still looked tired from her injury and the sleepless night she had spent but she smiled as she looked at the trio before her.

'She needed a little persuasion of who I was. But when she made sure it was me, she told me the night Tom Riddle tried to take the Horcrux of the Deathstick, he also took the sword from the depth of the lake, after attacking the merpeople and killing their majority who tried to stop him. Merlin had placed the sword back in the lake with the command for them to guard it along the squid but Riddle demanded it as he was the heir of Slytherin, the merpeople asked him for me and Merlin to show up to as to agree and it was then he attacked them and took it away.' Morgana explained. 'Hermione told me you were connected with him, how come you didn't see what he had done?' Morgana asked Harry after a moment and he sighed and shook his head.

'By the time, I was completely blocking him out of my head in my try to stop him from tracking us, we had the connection in very rare times when I was tired or under extreme pressure, I had stopped trying to connect with him because I knew he would find us in a heartbeat.' Harry explained and Morgana nodded and sighed.

'So at that night he took both the Deathstick and the sword.' Arthur murmured and Morgana sighed and nodded.

'How do you know about the Elder wand?' Hermione this time asked Arthur and he looked at her surprised.

'Morgana had it under her possession of course… while we reigned together.' He said naturally and both Harry and Hermione looked at the sorceress agape. She shrugged and looked at them sheepishly.

'Well Merlin and I had decided to make a competition between us, after a point in our years, we had decided that we needed a good tournament, the idea of the Deathly Hallows had been a good one. I had defeated the former owner of the Elder wand and took it for me, along the stone that I searched for and the Invisibility cloak that I had owned from my mother. I believe I was the only woman, Mistress of Death they called me many times and not only for my wicked reputation but also for the literal reason of my possessing the hallows.' Morgana said and both Harry and Hermione still looked at her dumbstruck.

'And who did you strike to take the Wand?' Harry asked, the curiosity taking the better of him. Morgana almost blushed as Arthur sighed.

'While Arthur reigned, he had became one of the best swordsmen in Britain, Godric Gryffindor once challenged him to a duel when he visited us in Camelot, I may was a Slytherin but he knew of my struggles against Salazar so he had became something like an ally, when he visited Camelot to ask me to try and locate Helena Ravenclaw, he had challenged Arthur into a duel,' Morgana started and Arthur nodded.

'I fought him, and I must say, he was one of the best opponents I had encountered, yet I won,' Arthur said and Morgana this time nodded and spoke.

'And I had located Helena through my talent as Seer, but I would reveal to him my knowledge only if he accepted my own challenge to a private magical duel. Of course he accepted, Ravenclaw's time was thinning and he was trying to find her daughter before death took Rowena. I knew he had the wand for years, it was one of my most difficult duels, but at the end, I won the wand…' Morgana said and Harry and Hermione looked at each other before they could look back at Morgana.

'And who took it from you?' Hermione asked and this time Morgana and Arthur's faces darkened in sorrow.

'My only son, Mordred. I challenged him on purpose, I wanted him to have it, I wanted to make sure he had been trained well… and he had, I was defeated and he took the wand but I was proud the circle of blood hadn't been continued, I had hoped he would make it too.' Morgana said and trailed off for a moment. 'The night Merlin left him at Avalon as to arrive at Camlan and Slytherin found the chance to reach Mordred he also took the wand and he became the new owner, my son had no time to reclaim the wand, I guess as he rushed too to Camlan, blinded by the words of that snake…' Morgana explained and sighed again as she held back tears. Arthur kissed her temple.

'We should be going then,' Arthur whispered and everyone nodded but Morgana stooped after a moment.

'We should take the wand.' She whispered and both Harry and Hermione snapped their heads words her direction.

'No, Morgana…' Hermione said and Harry nodded his head at Hermione's objection.

'No we shouldn't, it's resting in Dumbledore's tomb and it should stay there, along the stone in the forest. It is not any of ours anymore.' Harry said curtly but Morgana shook her head.

'You don't understand, if Riddle is alive he will return for the Hallows the moment he has activated the sword completely, by the vibes I feel from it, it's still struggling not to be exploited because of the spells I and Merlin had cast on it, but if Riddle makes it to overpower the spells… He will surely come for the Hallows too and then we're lost for good.' Morgana explained and even if her words made sense, Harry felt like his heart was grasped in an iron fist. He had felt the power of the Hallows, the obsession of the uncanny force, the provocation from the stone…

'She's right, it's one thing to fight Excalibur and one thing to fight the Master of Death with Excalibur as an extra weapon…' Arthur said strongly and Morgana nodded, she looked at Harry with her green eyes melting in his own.

'I will keep it, if you're afraid you can't resist it, I had it for years and I gave it willingly to my child, I can handle its power and the stone's.' Morgana said seriously and Hermione and Arthur remained silent while Morgana and Harry stared at each other. No one wished for the things that had happened to them, but they needed get ahead of their enemy and this would be the way.

'Very well then,' Harry finally said and sighed as Morgana nodded and Arthur helped her to reach the tomb while Hermione took Harry's hand and squeezed it.

'It'll be alright, I promise,' Hermione whispered and Harry nodded even if he couldn't believe at her words for that moment, he squeezed her hand back and brought to it to his lips, kissing her knuckles. Damn rules and all, he needed her.

Morgana took a deep breath and focused on the tomb of the former Headmaster, her eyes flashed amber again and as if the marble of the tomb was created by fog, the wand emerged from within without creating even a crack on its surface. The wand flew slowly close to Morgana who took it in her hands and took a deep breath as if the wand had given her power anew. She pointed up in the sky and with another spell in old English, the trees of the forest had their leaves rustling in the wind before the Resurrection Stone could fly from within the forest and reach Morgana, the Hallow hovered before her eyes and Morgana took it in her hand, right after a moment of silence she looked at Arthur and nodded as he too, looked at the stone with hungry eyes.

Harry was certain they would use it, he was certain this move could be proven a mistake, but who could blame two parents who had lost their child? Who could have blamed him for using the stone the night he almost died as to see his lost parents?

'We should be going now,' Hermione said as she looked at the first peak of the sun, rising from the mountains in the horizon. They had to go to Malfoy as well and keep Morgana and Arthur safe in the tent.

'We should indeed,' Morgana whispered as she hid the stone in the pocket of her black trousers and held the wand delicately in her hand, is if it always belonged to her...

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oooh ok i like to blend in more things like the founder era and the hallows more things are to come in the next episodes and possibly we'll see mordred? we shall see... please review and let me know what youthink of the armor moment in the forest of dean, the little hhr moments and of course the hogwarts fight between queen Morgan and Morgana and the Hallows being close to Harry and Hermione again :)

thanks for reading.

Harry Birthday, Harry, always with us! xxx


	8. A Single Chance

ok guys sorry for the long time to update but i went to holidays to Rome and London and then a bit to my hometown but two days ago i broke my ankle so this autumn will be hard for me, i promise that since i will be stuck in bed for weeks, i will do my best to keep up with faster updates :)

please read and review

Enjoy...

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_Chapter Eight – A Single Chance_

'That's why you asked me about the wands in the first place, wasn't it?' Hermione asked simply as she sat next to Morgana at the small table of the area that marked the living room of the tent. Morgana seemed lost at her thoughts until that moment, her eyes had been locked at the Elder wand that lay silently before her on the wooden surface. Her crystal green eyes turned towards Hermione, looking at her for a moment as if proceeding the question before she could finally nod.

'In my time, we used wands rarely, we had to try without them, we had to be able without them, not be limited by them... when I saw you with wands in your hands I thought that somehow you had this one in your possession...' Morgana explained and Hermione nodded as she looked at Harry and Arthur discussing something on their own across the tent. She and Harry would be leaving for the Malfoy Manor at any minute but first they had to bring Arthur and Morgana back in the tent safely.

'I see...' Hermione only said as she looked at the wand almost with fear in her eyes. She then looked at the stone by it.

'You're going to use it, aren't you?' Hermione asked and Morgana chuckled almost darkly.

'You've been asking many questions, Lady Hermione,' Morgana said in a try for humor but Hermione remained sober, looking at the sorceress before her. Morgana sobered up too and took the stone in her hands. 'I can make no promises, Hermione... a mother needs her child, like earth needs the sun to get rid of the darkness.' Morgana finally said and Hermione sighed and nodded her head. She could take the stone, she could demand for it, but who was she to prevent Morgana from seeing Mordred again? Who was she not to be tempted by seeing her own loved ones that died in the war as well?

'I cannot stop you and I obviously don't have to warn you... you know the power of the Hallows... but if you end up under their control, I will have to fight and stop you.' Hermione said even if she wasn't sure why she was almost threatening a powerful witch of old tales that now was ready to play with fire, she only knew that she was done living in a world of fear because of power hungry people, enemy or not, she would stop them. Morgana smiled at Hermione and suddenly extended her hand for Hermione to take in a handshake.

'I hold you to that,' Morgana said as Hermione took her hand after a moment of hesitation. The two women looked at each other for a few moments before Hermione could stand up and go closer to Harry who was fastening his robes and gave her a small smile.

'Ready?' he asked and Hermione nodded as she took her own cloak and put it above her, her hood almost hiding her face as she put it on too. 'Very well then,' Harry added and they exited the tent together, always checking around like vultures. They exited the limits of the tent and then with a loud crack they were away.

'As gloomy as ever,' Harry commented as Hermione took his hand and they moved through the gates of the Malfoy property, for years they had been accepted to the Malfoy manor, first as Aurors in practice for the evidence they collected after Lucius and Narcissa's capture for the war crimes and later on as Draco Malfoy's colleagues of different departments in various cases. As victims, enemies or something close to friends, their path always involved the Malfoy heir.

The double doors opened before Harry and Hermione could reach the stairs leading to them. They moved up and entered the room as the first thunder echoed outside, signaling the start of rain close by.

'Well well well...' a voice was heard but held no meanness like it used to. Harry and Hermione left their hands drop and looked at Malfoy who moved down the stairs connecting the hall with the upper floor, he was dressed in black as usual and seemed tired and worn off but he gestured for them to follow him to a living room Harry could remember ever since the first time he had been "escorted" in the manor, back in 1998.

'I heard you won't be in the team for much longer, is it true?' Draco asked the moment he was sat on one of the couches and Harry and Hermione did the same across from him. They both felt uncomfortable in that place, like every time, for them it had been a place of torture and death.

'It is possibly a matter of hours or days...' Hermione replied and Malfoy sighed and looked at them almost disapprovingly.

'You were two of the people the ministry shouldn't lose no matter how much it sucks nowadays and you got yourselves sacked... I hope it's for good reason...' Malfoy said and Harry had to fight back the feeling to retort something, the old rivalry never completely dying.

'We have, that's why we're here, we need to know what is going on, why things seem so unstable in the ministry, and we're sure it has to do with the department of yours...' Harry said finally and Malfoy this time sighed and stood up, served himself a glass of firewhiskey and gestured for them in case they wanted a glass each, they both refused so he only shrugged and gulped down the liquor.

'You very well know the nature of my job, I can't speak about it directly...' Malfoy said and Harry and Hermione nodded their heads, now it was the chance.

'It's about the Excalibur, it's been stolen from the grounds of Hogwarts for years, and the ministry knows about this, but they also detect the energy radiating from it, right? They just don't know how or why or from where it is and causes the energy to actually be.' Hermione said and Malfoy seemed completely lost as he looked between her and Harry.

'How?...' he tried to say but Harry interrupted him.

'It doesn't matter, what matters is that you need to know it's Voldemort behind it, and things are about to get ugly very soon, maybe sooner than we think, he's back and ready to take over again, it's better for you to only that, we only needed to make sure it's all about the sword and him, as we can see you know it's the sword out there, and it works in a different way than how it used to... We need to know if the ministry is about to do something or if they simply try to find the sword in the dark, because if they do, we're about to count many dead in their stupid little try.' Harry said and Malfoy drank one more glass before he could sit back down.

'You know half of it,' He started and both Harry and Hermione looked at him. 'Azkaban has been having issues, issues with charms and wards that had been put up ever since its creation... Death Eaters seem... disturbed again, your department should know that better than mine, or maybe they try to keep you in the dark. My department tries to solve the issue with the disturbance of magic on the wards, it's like they are under constant attack. We already count it as an attempt from external source for certain prisoners to escape... And we feel it's from some powerful source, however we can't detect, stop or even identify how a lost sword is suddenly being activated, we weren't even sure it was still intact.' Malfoy said and Harry and Hermione nodded their heads. 'How do you know about it all?' Malfoy asked and Harry spoke this time.

'You better not know, that's why we're about to be sacked... just stay out of it but keep in mind that things are about to get bad... keep in mind that the only way for us to have some more time is for Azkaban to remain impregnable.' Harry said as he stood up and Hermione did the same, Malfoy followed suit but almost blocked their way to the exit.

'Tell me what is going on,' he demanded but Hermione shook her head.

'We can't, but if things go downhill, go and find Ron,' Hermione said and Malfoy looked at her in wonder.

'Weasley? Why?' Malfoy asked and Harry and Hermione looked at each other.

'Because he very well knows what is going and if Voldemort indeed returns, you will be one of the first targets... his targets are our alleys... so you better be with the Order this time to protect yourself and help us with the upcoming days...' Hermione said and Malfoy was ready to ask for more, of course he would, but Harry stopped him.

'Just go to Ron in case of need, trust us and do it,' Harry explained and Malfoy was ready to say more but he actually stopped after a moment. He sighed and looked at the people before him up and down.

'Very well then,' he finally said and made way for them to pass. The two friends did so but stopped as Draco spoke again.

'It will never be over...not without us dead at the end...' The two friends held hands again, this time tighter than before, the possibility, the probability alive in words before them.

'Good luck, Draco,' Harry finally said and the two left him behind as they moved outside the manor.

They apparated back outside the tent and were ready to move closer but a tiny source of light drew their attention, still holding hands they started moving towards the place the little light was hidden behind trees, it was inside the wards but they both took their wands at the ready. They both halted when they saw what was the light about.

Arthur was holding Morgana upright by the shoulders while she held the Elder wand with an illuminating charm on it, on her other hand, she was holding the stone, before her and the king of Camelot, their son Mordred was standing, his face a mask of sorrow and pain, he was a beautiful boy, young, not more than eighteen, he had Morgana's black hair but even if his skin was ghostly colorless it would have been pale like hers, his eyes however were as blue as Arthur's, a fair young prince before his parents.

Harry and Hermione remained back in the darkness while the scene unfolded before them, they could hear muffled apologies, words of forgiveness, after a point Morgana tried to reach for her son but he was simply a ghost of what he was before her and her hand touched through him the night's air. Her eyes filled with new tears and Arthur hugged her tighter as Mordred looked as stricken as ever, even if it was clear he wanted to reach for his mother he couldn't. Arthur kissed Morgana's head and spoke something softly at his son.

'We should let them alone...' Hermione whispered, her own eyes full of tears before what she was seeing.

'Yes, we should,' Harry said and sniffed back his own tears, he knew the feeling too well, reaching for your family yet the veil of the worlds stopping you from the simplest of contact. He moved first and Hermione who still held his hand, followed him, they were ready to enter the tent when he stopped, looked at her, pulled at her hand so she would move closer to him and framed her face with his hands before he could kiss her with all the passion a man could pour into a kiss for a woman. Hermione was surprised at first, shocked even but after a moment she responded with as much passion and need. They remained tangled in each other's arms until oxygen was absolutely necessary.

'Harry...' Hermione tried as their lips parted for a moment.

'No, listen...' Harry tried as he pecked her lips once more, both gasping and looking deep into each other's eyes. 'Listen, if we die, we'll never have tried, we'll never know, if one of us dies... if... we'll never have something from each other like that. We went through a war separated and we know how hard it had been. I need you and I want you and lets face it, it's as if we're already together, why deny ourselves some light in all this darkness? Look at Arthur and Morgana, they have been through so much but they have each other. I need you, not just as a friend... I need a reason to go on, Hermione.' Harry said in a breath as he held her tightly in his arms, one hand on her waist the other the back of her neck, holding her for dear life.

'I won't make it if I lose you,' Hermione whispered and her voice broke at the confession, Harry sighed and kissed her hard once again, his hands moving up and down her body, trying to take away all the pain, taking away the venom from her soul.

'Yet if you do lose me, or I lose you... we'll have the memory, and if we both survive... if we both survive we'll finally have what we never achieved with the others, what we should have tried with each other ever since our teen years...' Harry said and Hermione sighed and finally nodded, this time kissing him hard herself.

'I can't lose you, I won't lose you.' Hermione whispered between kisses and Harry hugged her even tighter if that was possible.

'You won't, I promise you won't.' Harry whispered back and she smiled and nodded as their noses touched while they tried to take breaths.

'Lets take things a bit slowly though, I need you to know, I suck at relationships... you know I like to do everything my way, I will need you to remind me we're together now alright?' Hermione said and Harry chuckled and nodded.

'Some stands for me... scream at me when my thick head gets in the way.' he replied and she laughed and stole another kiss from his lips as if she had been doing it for years.

'I can get used to this...' she whispered and he smiled and kissed her nose.

'We better get inside, it's freezing and hopefully Arthur and Morgana will be back anytime now.' Harry whispered and smiled at her who nodded and together, this time in an embrace, entered the tent. They moved close to the couch and Harry sat down first, followed by Hermione who snuggled against him, it felt right and warm and comfortable like the times they had slept close to each other during the war or sometimes in their flat after watching a movie or studying for the academy.

'I hope Azkaban will remain safe,' Hermione whispered and Harry sighed, Voldemort was really returning and trying to take back his army, or at least what was left of it.

'We should go at the ministry tomorrow, see what is going on, in case they're to kick us out already, we might at least sneak some more detail from inside. We better try.' Harry whispered and Hermione sighed and nodded, her hand moved close to his and she wrapped her delicate fingers around his larger hand.

'Please don't act on tempter and do anything stupid...' Hermione whispered and Harry actually chuckled, she was ready to frown but he kissed her lips tenderly.

'I promise I'll try not to.' Harry whispered against her lips, she had been ready to snap at his laugh, this is what she would do if Ron had laughed at her concern but Harry was different, he had meant that little laugh in another way, a way that wasn't fulling her annoyance or her own temper.

'Good,' she finally said and Harry nodded, he had seen her momentary change, he had also seen her relaxing, he had meant his reaction good naturally. He smiled as he saw on his own they were working differently, they didn't bicker, and when they actually turned against each other, it was for serious reasons, he would never upset her just like that.

'Tomorrow will be a long day.' Hermione whispered and Harry looked back down at her, her eyes were closing as she dozed off, he couldn't say he was very comfortable on the small sofa but he wouldn't move for the world as she was falling asleep in his arms for the first time.

'It'll be alright,' he whispered, smiling for some odd reason, for the first time he was encouraging instead of being encouraged.

They remained hugged on the couch when Arthur and Morgana returned inside the tent, awhile later, both seemed like they had been crying, both stricken and exhausted yet they seemed oddly relieved too, as if they had finally settled a case that had been open for centuries. They didn't even look surprised when they saw the two young aurors hugged on the couch as Hermione slowly woke up in Harry's arms.

Morgana smiled and approached as Hermione stood up finally and met her before the couch, the sorceress looked between her and Harry and the smile remained on her face. 'It was about time for you two to realize life is too small to waste it away on hiding behind your fingers...' she said simply and Hermione felt herself smiling and blushing. Morgana moved her hand in the pocket of her trousers and after glancing at Harry again, she handed the stone to Hermione. 'You better keep this, I prefer not to be tempted again, and not to fight you as to give it back, so you should be the one to hold it, not Harry, not me, we might have kept it away from that Lord but I am not as strong as I thought I'd be...' she said with a steady voice. Hermione had been ready to decline the stone in her hand, to say that she wasn't any better but after looking at Morgana's teary eyes, she knew she couldn't say such thing for she was better indeed. She hadn't lost her child and she didn't even want to imagine how that felt, she couldn't deny Morgana's offer for it was made with a lot of pain and self-sacrifice while Arthur watched with similar emotions in his own eyes, the eyes he had passed to his lost boy. Hermione finally nodded and took the stone away.

'Very well then,' she only said and held the stone, she glanced at Harry too who watched her every move with the stone. Maybe she wouldn't have to fight Morgana but stopping Harry from getting addicted would be much much harder, she felt almost trapped, a small tent with hurt people and powerful objects that can mend a bit of the pain yet can addict them all to destruction was too much.

'Lets hope it will be over so we can be done with all of this.' Arthur finally said to break the tensed silence that was as if created by the calling of the stone in Hermione's clothes.

The next morning found both Harry and Hermione entering the atrium of the ministry from the muggle entrance, and encountering chaos.

Everyone was running around, panicking while the new statue of the ministry of magic with two magical human beings holding their wands upright to nothing in particular as no more statues of other species had been added, remained stoic before the havoc around. Notes were flying towards every direction, people seemed scared and lost, everyone was trying to reach some destination within the ministry and Harry and Hermione could only move towards their floor and department as to find out what was going on, on their way there, they found Malfoy almost running towards them.

'Azkaban has been infiltrated. At least twenty eight escaped, two died and thirteen more Death Eaters are missing from their cells. Everyone is trying to trace down their magical signatures but so far nothing. Every detecting spell across and around Azkaban can't give their location, possibly escaped too...' he said hastily and both Harry and Hermione looked at each other, what they didn't need, what they feared most had happened just a few hours after they had been informed.

'Go to Ron, he will fill you in, leave all this and go, they're trying in vain.' Harry ordered as both he and Hermione rushed to their department, where they found Anderson and about twenty more officials from the council screaming around at the head of the department of security in the Auror office. The moment he saw them he stormed closer to them.

'And where in Hell have you been for the past days?Why didn't you answer to the magical call of your department last night?' Anderson asked and both Harry and Hermione remained stoic before him, it was time.

'We couldn't be reached,' Hermione said simply and that had been the truth, her wards around the tent blocked every kind of magical activity from inside or outside the tent to disturb them.

'Consider yourselves unable to be reached from now on then, you're fired.' Anderson said and the couple was ready to pretend to be surprised or try act like it but a tremor went through the entire building before the noise could follow.

An explosion from somewhere above, screams, more tremors and more explosions shook the entire building, making debris and dirt fall from the ceiling, everyone covered themselves and Harry was first to draw his wand, right after it was Hermione and they were both outside the office at the moment of the first apparitions.

_'Avada Kedavra!'_

_'Protego!'_

_'Expulso!'_

_'Confundus!'_

_'Deprimo!'_

_'Avada Kedavra!'_

_'Incendio!' _

_'Aquamenti!'_

_'Confringo!'_

The storm of spells left the corridor of the ministry in flames and ruins and both Harry and Hermione hidden behind a piece wall that before was shielding their department's office. They kept firing spells and curses, trying to catch the intruders that had shielded their faces with masks. They were back, Voldemort had send his army again.

'We need to reach the tent... if he can feel Morgana's presence, if he can track her.' Hermione shouted and Harry nodded as he ducked again and sent another injuring attack to their enemies' way.

Everyone was fighting around them, they could cover themselves and apparate away but it seemed as if the Death Eaters had specific targets... them.

'The turtle,' Hermione said the codename of the defending formation they had been taught at the academy. Their escape now wouldn't only tag them as cowards who left in battle but also as traitors who refused to fight but these wouldn't be names they hadn't been called before... They both raised their hands with their wands and Hermione created a small wall-shaped protego charm, similar to the one she had made as to separate herself and Harry from Ron the night he left them during the hunt. Harry sent a couple more curses towards their opponents so they could move away from the first line of fire and among the general chaos, they made it to apparate away as it was clear the ministry wards has been fallen from the attack.

They apparated back inside the wards of the tent and Harry was still out of breath as he looked at Hermione and his heart jumped up to his throat the moment he saw her dizzy and unstable on her feet. She was lowering her wand and breaking the formation of the spell, frowning in pain from the big bleeding wound at her side.

'Hermione...' he could only whisper as he rushed close to her and hugged her before she could hit the forest floor. She was still coherent but looked in too much pain.

'I'm fine, it's just a big scratch from some exploded debris the moment we were apparating.' she tried to calm him down but he was already taking her in his arms and moving her inside, where he found both Arthur and Morgana frantic for reasons he truly didn't care about until Hermione was healed.

_'We can't tell them that, we can't use such weapon, Morgana...'_ Arthur was saying.

_'We must somehow move a step ahead, we hid it after all for good reason...'_ Morgana was saying but stopped on her tracks the moment there had been movement from Harry.

'I felt the energy! It was from the sword itself! It attacked a big building and-' Morgana had started speaking again in a completely different tone the moment Harry had entered the tent with Hermione in his arms but she stopped absurdly again as she saw in the state the couple was in. 'Dear Goddess! Bring her here, on the couch!' Morgana rushed close to Harry and gestured for Arthur who seemed to know what she needed. Harry settled Hermione on the couch of the tent and she tried to reassure Morgana about her injuries as well but Morgana wouldn't have it.

'You will stop talking now Hermione and let me see what is going on here.' Morgana said in a stern voice and Harry was ready to take his wand for a healing charm but Morgana held him back. 'Let me do it my way. I wasn't the best healer of the realm for nothing.' Morgana said and tore open Hermione's semi destroyed blouse. Harry would have blushed seeing Hermione's exposed skin and bra for the first time if it wasn't for the blooded wound that looked worse without the fabric concealing it. Morgana remained stoic as she examined the would while Arthur rushed close with a small basin full of water and a cloth, obviously they had healed their knights in the battlefield back in their time.

Morgana cleaned the wound and the moment she touched a specific spot, Hermione jerked and screamed in pain. Harry gasped and was ready to stop Morgana but she only nodded to herself as she withdrew her hand away and looked at Harry and Arthur.

'Broken ribs, three of them and one is ready to puncture her liver.' Morgana said and looked at Hermione who by now was semi conscious. 'I will need her to have her senses to make sure of her reaction after I heal this.' Morgana warned and Harry knew he wouldn't like that, bone restructure or repair were always painful, he knew by experience. 'Arthur I will need you to hold her down by the legs, Harry by the arms.' Morgana added and Harry wished he knew some better spell but all the healing charms he had been taught about bones in the academy were painful and he had to admit, he was never good at them. He sighed and moved with effort close to Hermione who looked at him with dazed eyes.

'It will only last a moment, Hermione, I promise.' He whispered as he held her arms where they were on the couch without moving them further and hurting her. Arthur nodded as he held down her legs and Morgana nodded at the both of them and glanced at Hermione. She looked back at the wound and started speaking old English until her eyes turned amber and a gusting sound of cracking was heard along Hermione's agonizing scream that echoed in the tent. Morgana was left gasping, just like Hermione whose eyes now were wide open.

'That hurt too much!' Hermione gasped out as both Arthur and Harry released her yet Harry held her hand. Hermione even if still gasping and flushed looked better now as Morgana started pushing in various places where the wound was moments before, all the while watching Hermione's face for signs of pain. When Hermione shook her head, Morgana smiled.

'A good meal, some rest and a couple of hours without moving from this couch will do their final tricks.' she said and Harry nodded mostly as Hermione laid back and sighed, she then looked down at her body and blushed furiously as she realized she was in her bra. Morgana took off the knitted jacket she had actually borrowed from Hermione to wear above her blouse and covered the younger witch.

'There was an attack.' Harry started and Morgana and Arthur nodded their heads.

'I had a vision, I saw the sword.' Morgana started and both Harry and Hermione looked at her with shock on their faces. 'It was as if... as if it was _meddled_ in the body of a creature, he looked like a man but he couldn't possibly be, he looked like a monster. The face was like a skull, but the features were like of a serpent, if I didn't know better, I would say he looked like Salazar's favorite serpent. The eyes however were black, pitch black, no orbs, only black depths. And the sword was as if sank in the flesh of that creature. It did something, a spell and the sword unleashed a lot of power, I felt it in my skin, in my very magical energy. And then I saw a huge building, full of people, full of cells, it was hit by that same energy and then many people escaped that prison. I don't know how or what it was but it seemed as if they were magically connected to the creature and I think the sword too...' Morgana explained and both Harry and Hermione watched her speaking with terror in their eyes.

'You saw Voldemort, or at least what he is now, you think he felt your presence through the vision?' Harry asked and Morgana looked at him. The two green eyed people stared at each other and Harry could understand how Morgana felt.

'I think so yes, I mean he has somehow connected even his body with the sword, and the sword has a a part of me and Arthur within it. I was one of the people who made it and the spells I have used are still fighting him so I suppose he felt my presence...' Morgana explained and Harry sighed and nodded.

'I understand.' Harry only said and everyone remained in silence for a moment. He looked between Arthur and Morgana for a moment as their words snapped in his head.

'You're hiding something from us, I heard you speaking of it the moment I was entering the tent. Something about a weapon.' Harry said accusingly and both Morgana and Arthur looked at each other warningly, warning each other for the opposite reasons obviously. 'We're listening.' Harry prompted as Hermione too was looking at them with curiosity, she couldn't remember their words but she trusted Harry as she hadn't been in state of noticing anything but the pain in her body.

'It was nothing..' Arthur tried to lie but he was obviously not good at it and Morgana wouldn't go with his path anyway.

'We might have a weapon to move forward into defeating Slytherin's heir.' Morgana said clearly and both Harry and Hermione watched her agape...

'Then do share with us, Morgana...' Hermione said as she tried to sat up on the couch but frowned and glared at everyone as all three of them held her down on the laying position.

'Well...' Morgana started and looked at Arthur who only shook his head and sighed. 'It is a bit hard to get it back together and make it work... but we could use the Grail.' Morgana said and for a moment both Harry and Hermione seemed oblivious, Hermione was the first to snap out of it.

'The Grail as... the Holy Grail...?' she asked hesitantly and Morgana nodded while Arthur sighed again. 'You're kidding me...' Hermione added and Morgana shook her head while Arthur sighed harder... 'Holy Cricket...' Hermione whispered as she looked at Harry who finally too, had caught up and was looking at the legendary couple with eyes wide and lips parted in something between shock and worry.

They weren't even near the end of it all...

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oooh more stuff into the mix, i'll explain everything about the grail i promise, i hope you liked the chapter, little by little we're building up the new situation... and hhr are finally out of the closet with their feelings and fears... and my poor armor saw their son... what u think guys?

someone told me that reviews will help my ankle heal faster... care to help with it?

xxx


	9. Complications & Solutions

hello everyone! sorry for the delay I promise it won't happen again i just needed some research for the things you will read bellow, thank you all for the reviews, i have good news for all of you! autumn will find us all with me making another hhr fic along this one, it will be hhr, full of humor and romance and crazy stuff and i hope you will enjoy it :D but for now

Enjoy...

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Chapter Nine – Complications and Solutions

'How a cup will help us against Voldemort?' Harry was the first to ask and Hermione actually nodded her head in agreement and shared confusion. Morgana took a deep breath this time and nodded to herself before she could sit before the two people and start talking.

'In the years after our schooling, when I took Arthur to Hogwarts as to extract the sword from the stone, I realized there was something else with it, trapped between the blade and the stone. I found out from Helga Hufflepuff that she once had found a cup full of powers in the bottom of the lake… But Salazar had asked her to exchange it with another cup he personally crafted for her.

'She accepted the change and Slytherin took the Grail and possibly hidden it along the sword. But in his rushed way from the castle and in his false hope that it would be safe along the sword, he left the Grail behind, possibly wishing to see one of his heirs taking it, the sword and opening the Chamber of Secrets.' Morgana went on and both Harry and Hermione were left speechless.

'But… the Christians- ' Hermione was ready to speak but Morgana nodded knowingly.

'The Christians of Britain and the rest of the world learnt about the Grail as they should: as it served their faith. The truth about the Grail however is that it's not just a cup. The Grail is a powerful weapon of three civilizations combined as to unite their unique powers.' Morgana went on and as seeing their confused faces she went on while Arthur sat next to her silent.

'The Grail is the creation of Celts, Greeks and Egyptians. They were the most powerful civilizations back in ancient years, and when these civilizations actually discovered each other, they decided to create a powerful object in celebration of their union in peace.

'Problem was, peace didn't last long for them, and soon the Grail was moving to British ground in hope of saving it as the Greeks and the Egyptians fell under the Romans first and the remaining protectors of it were left to take it in Britain…

'I believe that it was the Grail's power that gave Ravenclaw the vision of the Lake and the place the Four decided to build the school. It was asking for powerful protectors and who would be better than the best wizards and witches of their time? Nor Merlin nor I had been born yet.' Morgana went on and she showed no sign of taking back her words, she believed in both hers and Merlin's greatness.

'Helga had simply found it in the lake, while Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Gryffindor were building the castle by magic. Possibly Slytherin had found it before her but since she retrieved it, he tricked her into taking it to his possession.' Morgana went on and sighed as she could see the realization sinking in by the look of the young couple before her.

'When Arthur extracted the Sword, I took the Grail, and we could both feel that these two were connected. Possibly Slytherin had somehow interconnected with both to work for his heir. Yet, the Grail like other powerful objects, have no master, so the Grail remained powerful but simply connected to the Sword. That's why we need it, the moment we have it, we'll be able to know where Voldemort and the Sword are.' Morgana explained but Hermione shook her head and spoke.

'Hang on, what did you do with the Grail? Where can we find it?' she asked and by the look on Morgana's eyes, she wouldn't like the answer.

'That's the tricky part,' Arthur now spoke and both Harry and Hermione looked at him. 'When Merlin finally came around, and Mordred was born, we realized that there was too much power within one castle and too much rivalry between Morgana and Merlin as to allow such an object among them. The Grail belonged to Morgana who took it like I took the Sword but Merlin was powerful and they both craved for its power.' Arthur went on and the two younger people before them could only imagine how things must have been in the castle, judging by their own experience with magical objects around their necks…

'Point is both Merlin and I decided to return the Grail in its prime form, after studying it for endless days and nights.' Morgana said this time, her voice colder at the memory of the rivalry with the great Wizard.

'Which was?' Harry asked.

'Three components.' Morgana said, 'Each civilization brought one component to make the Grail. The Celts magically built an entire field and at its center, a cauldron existed. The Greeks brought the Nectar of the Gods as they called it, not explaining in any form of documentation what the liquid is made of and finally the Egyptians brought the actual spell to connect the other two components in the ancient Egyptian language.' Morgana explained this time but she could see more questions rising. 'When you see the Grail intact, you indeed see a cup of stone. But when you break it magically it transforms into these three components. All three are hidden across Britain in places that we could supervise.' Morgana went on and Arthur this time spoke.

'The Nectar is in Cornwall, the Spell is where Avalon was located, where you found us, and the final part, the cauldron is in the Stone Temple, where my father is buried. But the actual place of the ritual for it to be re-created will be in Avebury.' Arthur explained and Hermione was already up and pacing around the tent even if Harry had tried to stop her from moving just yet.

'You mean Stonehenge, right?' Hermione asked and Arthur nodded.

'We called the tomb like that sometimes, yes. It is still standing?' he asked and Hermione nodded lost in her thoughts.

'This is too much information.' Hermione was whispering to herself, her mind racing. 'So you mean to tell me that the Grail, an object created by the Celts, Greeks and Egyptians "made" the Founders to build Howgarts. But Salazar used it along the Sword you, he and Merlin created,' Hermione started but before Morgana could even nod her head, Hermione continued. 'But you took the Grail the day Arthur took Excalibur and later on, you and Merlin re-transformed it in its prime form as to keep it invalid from the wrong hands, even if they could be yours.' Hermione added. 'So I suppose the so called Quest of the Grail wasn't about finding it, but of actually hiding its three components.' Hermione went on and Arthur and Morgana nodded.

'You're a very bright lady, Hermione,' Arthur commented and Hermione nodded.

'I know,' she said matter of fact-ly and Morgana smirked. 'So all we have to do is go to those three places, take back the components and recreate it in Avebury. You will have to show us the locations on a map because there were so many suggestions about where each place was.' Hermione added with a calm voice, showing that she had the control. Morgana sobered up and sighed.

'There is something more.' She said softly and Harry sighed, he hadn't said a word so far because he really knew there was more.

'By the time Merlin and I decided or actually Arthur commanded us to take apart the Grail, I had defeated Gryffindor in that duel… The Elder wand was mine, so the stone and the Cloak.' Morgana started and Harry reacted without needing to listen to the rest.

'I can't believe it,' Harry was already saying while standing up, Morgana went on as if she hadn't been interrupted.

'To make sure no one but us would reach the three components, and even then we made sure it would be hard for both me and Merlin to pass by the wards we created… So Merlin trained and used for each components two creatures and I cast one spell by the Deathstick to keep enemies away.' Morgana explained and Hermione run a hand through her hair.

'This is really bad.' Hermione whispered and Morgana almost shrugged as it was what it was.

'He protected the Nectar with Greek creatures, a Manticore and a Chimera, and I cast a spell that also combined the Stone as to break it. I protected the Egyptian's spell with a charm that has to do with the Cloak and Merlin used a Sphinx and a Nundu, African creatures that like the Greek ones, can live for hundreds of years and finally the Cauldron is protected by a Dementor… and a Dragon, and a spell solely created by the Wand.' Morgana explained and by the end of her words, both Harry and Hermione were looking at her with utter desperation.

'So we don't just need the Hallows back as to get past the spells you made… we also need to defeat a nundu, a manticore, a chimera, a sphinx, a dementor and a bloody dragon Merlin HIMSELF trained for them to kill…' Harry clarified in exasperation and Morgana nodded her head slowly.

'I swear upon my powers, the moment we use the Hallows, we'll keep them safe from our own hands, no rivalry, no giving in to their powers. If you think I can't use the Deathstick I'm giving it to you to use…' Morgana offered but this time Harry exploded.

'Of course I will have to use it!' He screamed and Hermione gasped as Morgana remained stoic before the angry wizard. 'You already gave in for the power of the Stone, Morgana! Both of you actually! You think we're stupid? You think we don't know? WE SAW YOU!' Harry screamed, causing the medieval couple to look at him with shame in their eyes this time while Hermione moved closer and tried to calm him down.

'Harry…' Hermione attempted but Harry shook his head.

'No, you know what? I've been dragged to this shit by your prophesies and his prophesies and the bloody Hallows and everything around my life is just about fighting! First, it was because I was scarred since I was a baby, now because two tale characters jumped out of the veil of the world and demand of me to use the Hallows, fight deadly creatures and stop Voldemort using fucking Excalibur!' He went on and everyone had gone silent by then.

'This is fucking ridiculous!' he screamed in frustration when no one of the people before him seemed to have something to say to either counter or stop him so he remained seething on his spot. He felt almost childish, he knew the people around him had no choice either but he was sick of being stuck in a tent all over again with Voldemort looming over his head.

Morgana stood up first and sighed as she straightened Hermione's blouse she had borrowed. Arthur stood next to her as the raven haired woman with the crystal green eyes spoke in a calm voice.

'We all have been through too much because of our destiny, it's how it works, and it's how it goes. I'm sorry for the unfortunate times in your life as much I am sorry for my son, I actually lost him around your age, I can imagine the frustration he felt when I sent him to be stuck in Avalon while his father and I fought in Camlann. The thing is, your parents fought too, and as far as Hermione has told me, you would never be able to just stand back and not fight…

'So tomorrow morning, we're leaving for Cornwall to retrieve the Nectar and we're doing it by your rules. You're right, I used the stone, but not only as to see my son, but also to ask him valuable information about how Slytherin got in Avalon. You'll use the Hallows because you were better than me at resisting their power. You're their Master after all and I have faith in you that they will be used properly. As for the creatures guarding the place, I am sure we'll figure a way to trespass them. We're that close to have the upper hand and we'll make it.' Morgana said and Harry felt as if the fury in his chest evaporated with the sorceress's every word, as if she magically showed him she knew how he felt but there was no way to counter the pain, only embrace it.

Morgana and Arthur retreated to their room and the moment Arthur was out of sight behind the fabric door of their room; Harry turned and hugged Hermione tightly. They remained like that for a few moments until she broke the hug and kissed him on the lips tenderly.

The kiss soon turned heated, the two best friends letting all the puzzle pieces clicking with each other until there was nothing left to make them stop.

'We should go to our bed,' Hermione whispered and Harry nodded as he took her in his arms and she wrapped her legs around his waist and her own arms around his neck, their lips finding each other again.

The tent's second bedroom was just a few steps away and they entered it with Hermione reaching and letting the curtain of their door to fall as to block the entrance, she gripped Harry's wand from his pocket and silenced the room with a movement before Harry could lower her on the mattress of the bed.

They looked at each other for a long moment and it was all there, the anticipation, the fear, the worry and the need. They had been friends for years, each other's first person to cross the mind every morning, each other's rock and standard. They loved each other for years, that was a certain thing in their hearts, only in the past months or was it more, they had also fallen in love with each other. And just because it was their luck, they had needed Lord Voldemort's return to push them together. They had sacrificed themselves for each other, endured pain and torture for each other, it would have been convenient to just talk to each other and reveal the simplest of truths: they were soulmates and after years of proving it, they had finally realized it as well.

'I love you,' Harry whispered after silent talk and he knew this was the first time he said those words to someone, and of course it would have been Hermione. Her eyes softened more if that was possible, and after a moment of actually letting the truth sink in, she smiled and kissed him.

'I love you more,' she whispered back when the kiss was broken and that was the signal they both needed.

Their clothes started being a burden on them both and their hands did quick work with them. Harry took off her blouse and scarf while she almost ripped open his shirt, he grinned and kissed her lips again the moment his hands moved to her bra and kneaded her breasts. Next were their trousers and it was quiet difficult for them to take them off but they managed after a few chuckles and cursing words from both, to Harry's surprise.

Hermione's bra was opening on the front and she opened it for Harry who remained to stare for a moment to her beautiful body, she blushed and was ready to put an arm as to somehow hide her chest but Harry caught it and kissed her hand.

'Don't, you're beautiful,' he whispered and she smiled, knowing he meant it. He moved back above her and it was her turn for her hands to move down to the waistband of his underwear and pull it down, freeing him completely from clothes. He gasped as his member was finally free and she looked down between their bodies as it rested on her stomach. They looked at each other, they didn't need to ask each other if this is what they wanted. They knew all the answers only by looking at each other.

The next kiss was passionate, heated and full of need as Harry's hand moved down to her body and inside her knickers. She gasped and moaned against his lips and he only kissed her harder to shallow the noise.

'Oh Harry…' she gasped against his lips as he looked at her beautiful chocolate eyes. So many years, so many fights, so much trust and love and care, they all come to this and it couldn't be any other way after all.

'Hermione…' he whispered the name he had thought of in so many occasions over the years. The girl that had looked at him the moment Fleur and Bill were bonding each other for life, the girl he thought he lost in the Department of Mysteries. The woman he saved from Lestrange, the woman he watched with something that had nothing to do with teenaged chest monsters in other men's arms. The woman that now was his as he was hers. His Hermione.

He removed his hand from between her legs and put aside her knickers, she was opening her legs wider for him and he remained positioned right at her opening for a moment more. They have been through good and bad, through things other people won't have in entire lifetimes and they're still at their mid-twenties.

So young to be fighting so many, so young to be fighting so hard.

He moved inside her in one long thrust and Hermione groaned in sharp pleasure. It had been so long since her last boyfriend and certainly the sizes were different here. They stayed still for a moment to adjust both with each other's bodies and after that moment Hermione kissed Harry deeply and moved her hips while clasping him with her inner walls.

He groaned and started thrusting in slow thrusts in and out of her and she could only focus on him and his body above her, within her, his breath hot against her jaw and the feel of his skin beneath her palms, his soft –longer than usual- hair between her fingers and the small groans and moans that escaped his lips. This was Harry, her best friend, the man she always put before anyone else ever since the beginning. He accepted her in his life with not a question or comment on anything about her and she rewarded him by staying by his side even when everyone else was gone. She overcame every barrier to stay with him and he rewarded her by taking care of her, respecting and needing her as if she was a part of his, just like he was a part of hers.

'Let me on top,' she whispered as she needed to show him how much he meant to her, she told him already but they needed more, it's for their bodies to explain the obvious…

They moved around on the bed and she laughed as he frowned because his hand got stuck under his body, he laughed too but soon he's kneading her breasts with both hands and she could only moan in pleasure as she started rocking against him with hard quick movements and Harry groaned as she's never heard him before.

She moved her body above him and soon their lips were captured again, muffling their moans of pleasure as Harry's arms wrapped around her waist and stilled her as he started thrusting harder. The kiss broke quickly as Hermione moaned harder and louder until Harry could only reach up and nuzzle her neck, making her lose every control she was trying to keep and climax first against him, his name on her lips in broken screams of ecstasy. Watching this beautiful woman, his best friend and lover, coming undone on him, around him created his own undo and he screamed her name with his turn as he thrust three more times within her and then collapsed on the mattress as she had collapsed on him.

'All these years…' she murmured.

'Have been wasted with us jumping around the whole deal…' Harry replied for her and she grinned against his neck.

'I was going to say all these years we could have found each other earlier, but you put it just in another way…' Hermione said with humor as she looked up at him and he laughed.

'Well, I always had a way with words, right?' he replied and she snorted but kissed his lips.

'_Finally they're done, these two are even louder than us...' _Morgana's voice made them both freeze and Hermione hid her face on Harry's chest.

'Oh God!' she muffled against his skin and Harry looked around him. Of course, it was a tent… silencing charms work on solid materials… they should have used a large bubble charm or something.

'I can't believe you actually didn't remember silencing charms do not work in tents.' Harry whispered and Hermione glared at him.

'I'm sorry my brain was fuzzy because your hands were kneading my butt!' she countered mortified.

'_Come on, Morgana… they have suffered through our own encounters…' _Arthur's voice is heard now and Hermione moaned in embarrassment.

'We can hear you, you know!' Harry called out and tried not chuckle and another snort from the other room was heard.

'Oh really? So do we!' Morgana's voice was stern but the naughty tone in her voice was evident even to a deaf person…

'I'm willing to fight the Nundu on my own if it's for us to be back in our apartment with solid walls and a good door and Arthur and Morgana in another house of their own!' Hermione finally whispered against Harry's skin and he grinned.

'We heard that too and we agree!' Arthur's voice this time was heard and Hermione just turned crimson red as Harry chuckled and kissed her forehead.

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oook i wanted some humor after all the grim news, and some smut... hohoho what u think guys? our babies finally did it hehe and poor armor was hearing it all i guess karma is a bitch :P what u think of my idea about the grail? it was inspired a bit from Labyrinth of Kate Mosse and then i just needed to use elements of my country (greece) and the celts and egyptians, if you don't know about the creatures i mentioned, just check the book fantastic beasts and where to find them for more info :)

please review and help with your magical powers for my ankle to heal? *puppy eyes*


	10. Oil and Wine

Hello, guys... I know, it's been 4 months... I know, you probably have forgotten about this story but here I am because people kept asking for it and I feel so guilty about not updating, the end of merlin left a huge whole in me and it was hard to return to armor, let alone a crossover but i'll do my best to finish it

Enjoy...

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_Chapter Ten – Oil and Wine_

The chamber was vast but dark, there was the smell of deterioration, mould and the sea. He was walking slowly through the dark place, the only light a greenish glow in the far end of the chamber.

'We are close…' an ice cold voice was heard, echoing through the chamber and the hair of his neck's nape rose. 'Soon, we'll be back in power.' As he approached towards the source of the voice, the light became slightly stronger until he could make out forms of standing men in hoods, circling the source of the voice. He approached cautiously, he was wearing black robes himself. He was reaching the group and soon he was able to move through the bunch of Death Eaters to face the creature before them.

His body was the source of the smell, white skin with molded wounds of black blood, glistering in the dim light of the Death Eater's wands. The snake-like face seemed like melted skin on a skull, the eyes two dark pools of liquid. But the most disgusting part was the deformed part of the main body. The chest, abdomen and the pelvis seemed nonexistent as a massive wound was formed on them and inside it, a sword was sunk in the flesh, as if keeping the body upright like a frontal spine, the sword was pulsing with its magic devoured by the creature.

Lord Voldemort raised his head and the destroyed face was turned to him, his eyes as vivid as ever in their black color, hell was reflected in them.

'_Harry Potter…'_

Harry opened his eyes with a start at the screams of a woman in the tent and it wasn't Hermione who was currently kneeling next to him and trying to wake him up. He could feel cold sweat down his back and he finally sat up with wide eyes and looked at Hermione as the screams paused and Arthur's voice was finally heard, soothing Morgana's nightmare.

'Oh Harry, are you alright?' Hermione asked, her own voice shaken, he had been tossing for minutes and she was trying to wake him up just like Arthur had tried with Morgana but it had seemed as if someone was holding him hostage in his own dream.

'Morgana?' Harry asked and her voice was heard rasped and tired from the screams from the other side of the tent's fabric that concealed the bedrooms.

'Yes, I saw it too,' she managed and Harry sighed and wiped away the sweat from his forehead before he could look at Hermione's questioning eyes. 'Come with me, please,' he said as he stood up from the bed and Hermione followed him.

They were moving to the living room at the same time Arthur and Morgana approached and Arthur didn't let her sit on her own as he sat first and took her on his lap, she was still shaken and sweaty, just like Harry who enjoyed Hermione's hand wrapped around his own.

'I think it was my ability as a Seer that gave us the dream, but for some reason I projected the vision to you…' Morgana explained quickly while Hermione and Arthur looked at the raven people with curiosity.

'We saw Voldemort's current form,' Harry finally said to help the other two and Hermione looked at him agape.

'And the sword,' Morgana added and this time all three looked at her with worry. 'He's become one with it, trying to absorb its power and the same time suppress the barriers Merlin and I had set up on it to make it exclusively used for one person, the King of the Britons.' Morgana went on and Arthur sighed and nodded as Hermione looked at Harry who nodded as well.

'Maybe you should change clothes, fresh up so we could start for Cornwall the soonest… Obviously he's ahead of us…' Hermione offered and both Harry and Morgana nodded as they stood up and Arthur watched the two descending to their rooms.

'You think we can defeat the beasts of the hiding places?' Arthur asked and Hermione sighed as she looked at the legendary King. He was out of his league, of course he was a great fighter with his sword and a king who fought so many but this was all about magic and his sword was gone, he could only hope for his beloved and two young people to help him get through all this because He was destined to help there…

'I think we will.' Hermione finally said with a reassuring smile that she wished it would reach her eyes.

The apparition to Cornwall was brief and Morgana had side-along apparated everyone as she knew the location of the hiding place. The four found themselves before a small hill and Morgana nodded her head for Harry who decided to give her the Elder Wand to use this time.

The sorceress took the wand and waved three times, her eyes turning amber as she chanted in old English and soon the hill's side showed a wide opening. Morgana smiled satisfied and gave back the wand to Harry.

'Morgana, what are we to face exactly?' Hermione asked and Morgana looked at the young woman.

'Well, the Greeks had the oil and wine so we had decided to use Greek originated beasts to guard the place… The manticore will give us a riddle….then we'll kill the chimera… and then I'll deactivate the spell.' Morgana said simply and Hermione wished to crawl and cry in a corner but instead sighed and moved along.

They entered the as it was proven, narrow cave and moved one behind the other with Morgana on the front, illuminating and leading the way, Harry behind her with the Deathstick, Arthur behind him and Hermione at the end to keep a magical eye on their backs.

The narrow corridor of the cave soon gave way to a larger space and the four stood by each other's side with Harry and Hermione holding their wands for light and Morgana creating an orb of light within her hand. Before them, after a growl, a manticore sat on its back legs and stared at them. The beast looked horrifying with its lion like physic and the scorpion's tale twisting its deadly sting.

'King Arthur, Morgana le Fay… and two strangers,' the beast said with its deep voice and Morgana moved a step forward.

'I'm here to reach the oil and wine, beast,' the woman said and the creature looked at her with sober eyes.

'You and the Sorcerer had told me to keep even you two at bay… so you understand I shall give you a riddle as this was my task to deliver.' The manticore said and Morgana sighed and nodded.

'We're listening.' Morgana said as she kept her eyes fixed on the manticore who smirked.

_What does man love more than life__  
__Fear more than death or mortal strife__  
__What the poor have, the rich require,__  
__and what contented men desire,__  
__What the miser spends and the spendthrift saves__  
__And all men carry to their graves?' _The manticore said clearly and the four people were left to stare at it and at each other in thought. 'You have two chances.' The manticore added and everyone nodded.

'Maybe it's wealth?' Harry offered to the rest, Hermione shook her head.

'I don't think so, we don't carry our wealth in the grave.' Hermione said and Morgana sighed.

'Arthur?' she asked and the king looked at her with eyes full of thoughts.

'Morgana…' he said and looked at her, he had been a man in love, and a man in strife, poor he hadn't been but he knew what he required as a rich king, what could a contented man desire? And what did he actually take with him to the grave? 'Nothing…' he said and Morgana sighed and nodded as she kept thinking but Arthur shook his head and smiled. 'Morgana, it's nothing.' Arthur said and Morgana looked at him.

'I got it,' she said and Arthur laughed, making Harry and Hermione look at him in confusion while Morgana stared at him as he moved forward to the beast and spoke.

'Your answer is "nothing".' Arthur said and the manticore narrowed its eyes at the once and future king, Morgana rushed close, ready to defend him in case the beast would attack but after a stare content of moments, the beast moved aside and lowered its head. Morgana was left speechless to look between the manticore and the grinning Arthur.

'Wow…' she whispered and he grinned and stole a kiss from her lips.

'Play with your magical wands you three, my love… If you remember correctly, I did all the diplomatic work with all those ambassadors while you flatly requested their heads on plates…' Arthur said lightly and squeezed her waist for her to move, both out of her stupor and forward. Harry and Hermione grinned at each other as Morgana needed a moment more before she could do either.

They made a few steps further in the cave until they heard the sound of a roar. They stopped dead in their trucks as first one pair of red eyes and then two more appeared in the darkness before the Chimera could attack. They sprung into action with the four avoiding the large beast thanks to Morgana's quick reflexes, her spell kept the beast at bay for a moment. Its body had the size of a horse, the central head was one of a lion with red eyes instead of normal animal ones, the head to the right was one of a goat only this goat had huge horns and black fur and the head to the left was one a mediocre sized dragon. The beast was blocking the entrance to the last part of the cave and its three heads made it impossible for any of the four to trespass it while the other three kept it busy.

It advanced again and this time Hermione and Harry stupefied it at the same time but the scales of the dragon's head reflected the spell to the cave wall and the lion head seemed only dazed.

'Oh great!' Harry exclaimed as the lion head roared harder against them and advanced once again, this time stopped by Morgana who hit it with a wave of her wand and actually seemed to daze all three heads of the beast, pissing it off more and making it focus on her.

'Arthur, stay back.' Morgana addressed her beloved as the dragon head glanced at him. 'Harry and Hermione, stop the easy spells, use a curse that will kill! We need it dead, not more enraged nor simply injured.' Morgana shouted over the screeches and roars of the beast as she kept hitting it with waves of energy from her hand, making the goat head almost faint. 'The moment one of the heads is dead, the other two will think it's a strange body and will eat it, then they'll eat each other.' Morgana added and both Harry and Hermione focused on the goat head that screeched while the lion head roared and the dragon one breathed fire, blocked by Harry's Protego.

'Sectusembra!' both Harry and Hermione screamed the spells while Morgana sent a ball of energy at the goat head and the one third of the beast screeched more in agony as it turned bloody and sliced everywhere, with a last scream it died and at the same moment both the dragon and the lion advanced as the heads had smelled the blood of their own body.

The sight was horrible as the heads ate at their own body and then advanced on each other with the dragon head burning the lion head and then chucking off half the face before it could scream in agony itself and breath more fire. Morgana sent the final ball of energy that hit at the wounds of the previously alive heads, finishing the creature and taking out of its misery.

The cave went silent after that, the smell of blood and burnt flesh lingering heavy in the air. Hermione was ready to say something about the way they had to kill the creature, remembering the way the poor dragon at Gringorts had been used by goblins but Morgana spoke as if she could read Hermione and the men's minds.

'We had to guard the Grail and both Merlin and I took it upon ourselves so the rest of the world could be saved. The criticism can wait until we're done here.' She said, making everyone halt whatever they wanted to comment upon as she stepped by the beast whose blood was pooling on the cave's ground and illuminated the way with her own magic. The other three remained behind as she reached a small plain altar where there was a small whole in it. She put her free hand inside and reached out, holding a small plate of white marble.

'Pentelic marble enchanted with words of wisdom and power.' Morgana mumbled loud enough for the rest to hear, yet it felt like she was talking to the marble plate as if it could understand her. She put the plate on the altar and stood by the it for a moment more, with eyes closed before she could take a deep breath and raise her arms above her head, casting the spell with her eyes glowing and lowering her hands with force down to the marble of the spell that protected the oil and wine. The moment her hands impacted with the plate a deafening sound was heard and Morgana whimpered in pain as the plate broke beneath her palms into tiny pieces.

Arthur rushed close to her for help as she almost stumbled close to the altar and he helped her to remain on her feet. The Altar glowed red for a moment before the oil and wine could appear upon its surface in two small bottles of clay. Arthur took them and Harry with Hermione rushed to help as well, taking the bottles while watching the sorceress with concern in their eyes as Arthur mumbled something they couldn't get in her ear and she nodded.

'We're ready for Cadbury.' She said as Arthur helped her away from the altar and out of the cave with Harry and Hermione trailing behind them, as they passed by the peaceful manticore, the beast chuckled wisely and spoke.

'I fear the Greeks even when they bring gifts…' the beast's voice left a small echo, making Harry and Hermione wonder of what it knew and didn't tell…

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sooo what you think guys? i tried to finish with the first part of the grail's parts and i will keep up with the egyptian, thank you for reading and sticking up with the story, i promise i'll do my best to finish it :)


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